Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral Sports Desk
The Sesa Football Academy Senior Women’s Team has created a landmark moment in Goan football by securing its first-ever qualification for the 9th Indian Women’s League. Their entry marks the return of a Goan team to the national stage after three years, and positions SFA among the only five Goan clubs to have ever competed in the prestigious league. Having already established themselves as the reigning Vedanta Women’s League champions, their commendable third-place finish in the IWL 2 set the foundation for qualification. With the Indian Arrows withdrawing, and through the persistent efforts of Dr. Caitano Fernandes, President of the Goa Football Association, SFA earned their place in the 16-team competition.
The achievement arrives at a promising time for women’s football in India, where the U17, U21, and senior national women’s teams have all qualified for the AFC Champions Cup. For Goa, SFA’s entry into the IWL opens a vital pathway for local players to gain exposure, visibility, and opportunity at the national level. Navin Jaju, CEO of Vedanta Sesa Goa, expressed pride in the team’s rapid progress, acknowledging that their journey serves as inspiration for many young athletes.
Dronacharya Awardee and former India and SFA coach Armando Colaco described the qualification as more than a sporting accomplishment. For him, it signals the revival of women’s football in Goa. He recalled a time when the women’s game had strong grassroots presence in the state, which gradually faded over the years. The recent successes of SFA, he believes, have reignited that lost momentum. Colaco praised the technical ability, discipline, and temperament of the young players, viewing this milestone as the beginning of a new phase for Goan football rather than a conclusion of past efforts.
Colaco also highlighted SFA’s important role in rebuilding a sustainable ecosystem for women’s football. He emphasized that women’s football must not be regarded as a benevolent side venture but as a high-performance sporting avenue deserving of strategic investment. In this journey, the continued support of Vedanta Sesa Goa has been instrumental in stabilizing and growing the women’s football structure in the state, particularly through their contributions to the Women’s League in Goa.
Looking ahead, Colaco believes that if SFA sustains its current momentum, it has the potential to become a national reference point for women’s football development. As the SFA Senior Women’s Team prepares to enter the IWL, expectations rise not just for their performance but for the broader impact they may have on Goan football. The moment, he says, belongs to the players, the academy, and to every young girl dreaming of pursuing football professionally. For him, this is not only a moment of qualification but a moment of revival—one that calls on the entire football community to support the SFA team in ushering in a true Goan sunrise.
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