Six Maharashtra Stars Set for AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy Following National Championship Triumph

by FC January 3, 2026

It is a landmark moment for Maharashtra football as six standout players from the state have been selected for the prestigious AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy in Telangana.

This follows Maharashtra’s clinical title-winning run at the Dr. Talimeren Ao Junior Girls National Football Championship 2025–26 (Tier 2).

The selected players-Aanshi Khanna (Thane), Aysha Sartape (Thane), Sharvari Mane (Pune), Tanishka Deore (Pune), Anisha Nadar, and Ipshita Gawari-will join India’s premier high-performance center. Additionally, Khanna, Sartape, Mane, and Deore have earned call-ups to the India U-17 Women’s National Team camp as the nation prepares for the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in China.

A Dominant Campaign

Maharashtra’s road to the trophy was defined by resilience and attacking flair. Drawn in Group D, they opened with a pulse-pounding 3-3 draw against Mizoram, where Aanshi Khanna netted a brace. They quickly found their rhythm in the second match, a 2-0 win over Madhya Pradesh featuring a strike from Sharvari Mane.

With qualification on the line, Maharashtra unleashed a scoring masterclass against Himachal Pradesh, winning 14-0. Skipper Aysha Sartape led the charge with five goals, supported by clinical finishes from Khanna and Mane. This momentum carried them through the knockout stages, defeating Punjab 1-0 in the semi-final and overwhelming Uttar Pradesh 4-1 in the final to lift the trophy.

The Academy Call-up

While the national team camp recognizes immediate international potential, the selection of Anisha Nadar and Ipshita Gawari alongside the core quartet for the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy highlights the long-term depth of this squad. The academy, a joint venture between FIFA and the AIFF, provides world-class coaching and sports science aimed at developing the next generation of professional stars.

• ⁠Individual Honors: Sharvari Mane’s relentless consistency throughout the tournament earned her the Best Player of the Tournament award.
• ⁠The Backbone: Tanishka Deore’s composure between the sticks and the defensive solidity provided by Ipshita Gawari and Anisha Nadar were pivotal to Maharashtra’s defensive record in the knockout rounds.
• ⁠A Notable Absence: Despite the wave of selections, striker Aarnaa Sindhav-Maharashtra’s top scorer who found the net in four out of five matches-narrowly missed out on the national call-up, though her performance remains one of the highlights of the tournament.

With India having already secured qualification for the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 with a perfect record, these young footballers are now entering a high-performance environment that could see them represent the Blue Tigresses on the continental stage. The inclusion of six players in the Telangana academy is a testament to the thriving grassroots ecosystem in Maharashtra.

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