Sesa Football Academy Shines at GFA Awards 2025-26

Goa, 07 Oct, 2026 : Sesa Football Academy (SFA) was among the standout performers at the Goa Football Association (GFA) Awards Night 2025-26, receiving multiple honours in recognition of its exceptional performances across youth and women’s football during the season. The annual awards ceremony celebrated the achievements of GFA-affiliated clubs, players, coaches and administrators who have made significant contributions to the development of football in Goa.
At the GFA Awards Night 2025-26, the Academy, a flagship CSR initiative of Vedanta Iron And Steel Limited, was feted for a series of outstanding performances being recognised in 11 categories including team, individual and organisational level.

Expressing his thoughts Mr. Pankaj Kumar Sharma, CEO & Whole Time Director, Vedanta Iron And Steel Limited, said, “The recognition at the GFA Awards is a proud moment for the Sesa Football Academy and, most importantly, for our players, coaches and support teams who have worked with great dedication. Seeing our young and women footballers recognised makes it even more special. At VISL, we will continue to nurture talent and create opportunities for the next generation of footballers.”

Congratulating the Academy on its achievements, Dr. Caitano Fernandes, President, Goa Football Association, said, “Sesa Football Academy has been one of the strongest pillars of Goan football for over two decades, consistently producing talented footballers and delivering impressive performances across competitions. Their sustained commitment to grassroots development, youth football and the women’s game has made a significant contribution to the growth of football in the state. We also appreciate the role played by Vedanta Iron And Steel Limited and other corporate institutions that continue to invest in sporting development. Such partnerships are vital for strengthening Goa’s football ecosystem and creating opportunities for young athletes to excel at higher levels.”

The overall accomplishments for SFA in the 2025-26 season included those for winning the GFA U-14 Division I League, GFA U-14 Girls League, GFA U-16 Girls League and the U-16 Asmita Khelo India 2025-26 Tournament, and the runner up finish of the Under-20 team in the GFA U-20 Division I League.

Individual excellence among SFA athletes was celebrated with several prestigious honours. Simran Narvekar from the SFA Senior Women’s Team was crowned Women’s Player of the Year 2025-26, Keren D’Souza of SFA emerged as one of the keenly watched talents across Goa, clinching both the Girls U-16 League Player of the Year Award and the coveted Fans’ Favourite Player of the Year title.
Additionally, Anmesh Majik was adjudged Player of the Year (U-18 Division League), Vidisha Assagaonkar received the Player of the Year award for the Girls U-14 League, while Asma Bandodkar was recognised as Player of the Year for the U-16 Asmita Khelo India Tournament. Together, these accolades underscore the depth of talent being nurtured at SFA and its continued success in developing future stars of Indian football as also the strength of the women’s football ecosystem that has been pioneered by the Academy.

The Academy’s excellence was also recognised beyond the field, with SFA receiving the prestigious Organiser Award for successfully hosting and managing 113 matches at its campus during the 2025-26 season. The consistent recognition received by SFA over the years, underscores its commitment to providing opportunities for youth and grassroots talent & in providing requisite support, technical guidance and infrastructure for not only the development of players and teams but also for the overall progress of the sport in Goa & India.