The opening match saw Reliance Foundation Young Champs take on MYJ–GMSC in a tightly fought encounter. Both teams showed good structure and discipline, but clear chances were limited for much of the game. The breakthrough came in the 67th minute, when substitute Viraj Vinay Singh made an immediate impact after coming on in the 60th minute. His well-taken goal secured a 1–0 win for Reliance and a positive start to their campaign.

In the second fixture, Iron Born FC faced MH Oranje FC and produced a solid performance. Iron Born took the lead early in the match through Prasad Mahadeo Sherkane, who scored in the 15th minute. Oranje tried to respond but were unable to find an equaliser, as Iron Born defended well to claim a 1–0 victory in their opening game.

The final match of the day featured Millat FC against Community Football Club India (CFCI) in an engaging contest. CFCI struck early with Ninad Mohite scoring in the 4th minute. They extended their lead late in the game when Shriharsh Madhusudhan Shrirangam Surepalli found the net in the 74th minute. Millat FC pulled one back through substitute Mayur Jadhav in the 84th minute, but CFCI held on to secure a 2–1 win.

Day 1 of the RFDL Mumbai Qualifiers delivered competitive football and encouraging performances from young players. With teams already showing intent and quality, the tournament promises exciting action in the days ahead.

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Mumbai, 12th December 2025: The Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) launches its fifth season on 15th December in Goa, reaffirming its role as India’s premier U-21 competitive football platform. With over 260 matches played among 54 teams and over 1,800 players competing across nine talent hotbeds, the league continues to fuel India’s footballing pipeline.

Naushad Moosa, Technical Director and Reserves Team Head Coach, NorthEast United FC Reserves said, “RFDL has become the bridge between youth football and the professional level. For many players, these minutes are their first real taste of a competitive environment that mirrors senior expectations, travel, pressure, consistency, and accountability. For me, Season 5 is about seeing who stands out under pressure. I’m excited to see how the boys handle responsibility, how they respond to tough moments, and which players show the mentality required to grow into future national team footballers.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DSKQG2xiKo-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The impact of RFDL is already evident at the national level with 21 out of 23 players in the India U-23 squad selected by head coach Naushad Moosa in September 2025 for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers earned valuable competitive minutes through various RFDL seasons, showcasing the league’s significance in increasing the talent pool for the national team and preparing players for international challenges. Moreover, the 54 participating teams represent 17 states and union territories as teams from Jammu & Kashmir make their maiden appearance in the competition. In the Northeast, Manipur will see the return of competitive football while teams from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are part of the mix too.

Season 5 will unfold across four phases:

Regional Qualifiers: 54 teams, 135 matches across nine regions
Zonal Group Stage: 24 teams competing across four groups and 60 matches
National Group Stage: 12 teams in centralised, high-intensity competition across 60 matches
National Championship: Top four teams battling for the title

Aligned with Reliance Foundation’s mission to create a robust football development ecosystem, RFDL provides fair competition, consistent match exposure, and an essential pathway from academies to senior squads and international opportunities.

Season 5 of RFDL aims to raise the bar for youth football in India, offering a competitive, high-quality platform for the country’s rising stars and creating a larger talent pool for the national team.

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“There is a lot to prove. We are two-time defending champions so that puts us under pressure to win the title again. But the boys are doing really well and we are eagerly looking forward to the National Championships. Our success in the RFDL is all due to the focus that Bengaluru FC has placed in developing and promoting grassroots and youth football within the club,” Bengaluru FC coach Bibiano Fernandes said.

In the other games, Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) swept aside Chennaiyin FC by 3-1, with substitutes Raj Kumar Sanyasi and Silajit Santra finding the back of the net for the former in the 65th and 97th minute of the game respectively.

Midfielder Harsh Palande scored in the 89th minute, whereas the Marina Machans had only Roshan Labuktongbam netting for them in the 80th minute of the match. 

Kerala Blasters FC and Dempo SC played out a goalless draw in their Group A fixture in the National Group Stage at the Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai on April 24, Wednesday.

Both teams were unable to break the deadlock at the end of 90 minutes, with the game seeing three bookings. Muhammed Sanooth and Vibin Vidhu from Kerala Blasters FC and Pratik Naik from Dempo SC were shown the yellow card.

Next Day’s Schedule – (April 26)

Group C – University of Delhi Stadium, Delhi

M1: NorthEast United FC vs Home Missions FC – 08:00 AM IST

M2: Adamas United SA vs Delhi FC – 11:00 AM IST

Group D – Dhuler Football Stadium, Goa

M1: Punjab FC vs Sudeva Delhi FC – 08:30 AM IST

M2: Mumbai City FC vs Pax of Nagoa – 04:00 PM IST

Courtesy:- Reliance Foundation Sports Media

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Vukomanovic believes that the progress that a player makes from the club level to play for his country is a validation of the efforts and performances that he has delivered for the former. The tactician understands that working regularly on skill sets for the club is a part of the daily routine of any professional. However, the national setup gives a stamp of authority to the same from a time to time basis, and that is a great driving factor for several promising stars. 

“National team call-up is a validation of your performances for the club”

The current Kerala Blasters FC squad has players such as Pritam Kotal, Ishan Pandita, Jeakson Singh, and Rahul KP who are or have been a part of the senior national Indian side in the recent past. Similarly, they have individuals like Hormipan Ruivah, Vibin Mohanan, and Mohammed Aimen who represent the India U-23 team. Vukomanovic states that he gets immense satisfaction when his players owe the success that they achieve at the international stage to the work that they put in on the training turf for the Yellow Army.

“From one side, with difficulties, because they are recognising that these moments are not easy both from a physical and mental side, because you are playing for a club that is demanding from an expectations perspective. From the other side, I am really glad to see how they have developed because they become better by understanding a lot from technical and tactical sides, which is why they get national team call-ups, and for them it’s further development. Your training process in a club is a daily process, but the national team is a confirmation of your efforts!” Vukomanovic says.

He adds, “I am happy for them, because you see them improving, smiling, and being happy. The thing I like the most with young players is when they tell us that the things we do in training makes their life easier, and I am glad that they recognize the same, which is equally important for their development. As a teacher, you are always proud of seeing your players become important parts of the society, I get the same feeling as a coach.”

“RFDL helps give game-time to a lot of my squad players”

The third season of the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) is currently on and Vukomanovic spent considerable time reflecting on the benefits that the elite youth level tournament, bringing clubs from across Indian football onboard, plays in shaping careers of young professionals. He says that it is the perfect platform for players lacking adequate game-time at the senior level to perform at.

In fact, Vukomanovic appreciated the fact that it allows clubs to capitalise optimally on their total squad strength. For instance, if a team hosts multiple players for any key position, Vukomanovic explains that they deploy a few of those players to earn their stripes in the RFDL. It has multiple benefits in his viewpoint. For starters, the level of intensity that these concerned professionals train at with the ISL teams is of significantly greater level than what’s required in youth level tournaments. That, in turn, helps produce closely fought encounters in the RFDL, thus bringing about an all-round, comprehensive growth in the Indian footballing landscape.

“We send players on a weekly basis, especially if we have multiple players for a position. They practice for us, and then they go to the B team and they play a few games there. You give them consistency to play, how they play doesn’t matter, but you need that playing time. They suffer whilst entering higher intensity training sessions, but when they play with that intensity with youngsters, they make a difference,” Vukomanovic says.

“Possibility of competing against international clubs is an awesome experience”

Four teams that qualify to the National Championship of the RFDL also get a chance to play in the Premier League Next Generation Cup. Bengaluru FC, Sudeva Delhi FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, and the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) had availed this opportunity last season. It gives them a chance of locking horns with their Premier League counterparts, such as Everton FC, West Ham United FC, and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, who participated in the previous campaign of the competition. The tournament also saw participation from eventual winners of the second season, i.e. Stellenbosch FC from South Africa. Vukomanovic explains that the sheer chance to lock horns with these sides is a good enough incentive for Indian players to constantly keep improving and showcase their mettle as the highest of stages.

“It’s an awesome experience and you compete for something and you have the prize of going there to see that level of football. Going there, you face the reality, and you have two feelings, firstly of being proud of reaching there and there’s also a sense of reality that comes in. You realize as a player that there’s a long way to go if you want to reach there. It’s both motivating and frustrating because it gives you a perspective of how football is developed in certain parts of the world,” Vukomanovic says.

Courtesy :- Reliance Foundation Sports Media

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Watch the match highlights here: Bengaluru FC 0 – 0 RFYC | Highlights | RFDL National Group Stage (youtube.com)

The Group A fixture saw seven bookings across both teams, with defending champions Bengaluru FC managing to scrape a point despite their forward Thokchom Malemnganba Singh getting sent off in the added time of the first half.  Both these teams had qualified for the National Championships of the RFDL last year, and will be hoping to get victories under their belt soon to progress from the second round of the competition.

The other clash on this ground produced expected fireworks though, Chennaiyin FC edging past their southern rivals Kerala Blasters FC by 2-1 at the RCP later in the day. Thingujam Korou Singh got Kerala Blasters FC ahead with a 32nd minute strike, but Niketh N and Prakadeshwaran S netted once each in the 65th minute and the 80th minute of the game respectively to produce a comeback and clinch the three points for the Marina Machans.

Next Day’s Schedule –

Group C – University of Delhi Stadium, Delhi

M1: East Bengal FC vs Adamas United FC – 08:00 am IST

M2: Delhi FC vs NorthEast United FC – 11:00 am IST

Group D – Dhuler Football Stadium, Goa

M1: Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Mumbai City FC – 08:30 am IST

M2: Pax of Nagoa vs Punjab FC – 04:00 pm IST

The matches will be live streamed on: Reliance Foundation Development League Season 3 Is Here! | RFDL (youtube.com)

Catch the region-wise standings here: Reliance Foundation Development League Points Table and Standings (rfyouthsports.com)

Courtesy :- Reliance Foundation Sports Media

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Cuadrat has had a fairly long tryst with Indian football, having been associated with Bengaluru FC in the market including an ISL title winning season of 2018. He took over the helm of East Bengal FC ahead of this season and hence has a complete understanding of what the youth footballing structure beholds for the further development of the sport here.

According to the Spaniard, RFDL has allowed the players to not waste precious time of their developmental years on the bench, and instead engage in closely fought encounters with their peers from clubs across the country.

You can download the video and watch him speak here:  https://we.tl/t-hfuykIIVCO  (Courtesy: RFDL)

“RFDL allows players to play competitive games against their peers”

“It gives them an opportunity to play games. It’s one of the things that are difficult in India in the formation of players. I remember watching a lot of games with the Bengaluru B teams, with the sides winning by 6-0, 8-0, and these results don’t put you in a competitive situation. It’s too easy for teams to be winners in that kind of games and then the jump to the ISL is too high. So, the RFDL gives players that opportunity to be competitive with players of your age, who can give you trouble on the field. I have been watching the games, they have been close like 2-0, 1-0, and 2. It means that it’s a challenging tournament,” Cuadrat said during a recent interaction with the league.

He added, “Players have to give their everything and for sure they will learn a lot from that. Some players are in the first-team, but it’s better for them to get minutes playing in the RFDL. For example, Sayan Ghosh, was playing for East Bengal in the RFDL, and he even comes in the first-team. The tournament gives them a huge opportunity to express the way they play the game and get an opportunity get in the first-team.”

Cuadrat drew example from the time he spent with the Blues, saying that the level of competitiveness in youth games has increased reasonably since then. It has thus helped head coaches of Indian Super League (ISL) clubs to deploy their squad players into the RFDL, ensuring that they get some good game-time under their belt before progressing to representing their outfits in the top-tier.

“RFDL helps us gauge potential of players over a long period of time”

Cuadrat dived deep into his overall coaching philosophy to explain the importance of the RFDL and the way it has helped his players grow considerably in this campaign. He mentioned that a lot of uncapped players first earn their stripes by being introduced as fresh legs to keep up the intensity of the game during the final few minutes of ISL matches. That might be beneficial to them, but Cuadrat quipped that such infrequent playing time does not allow them a proper chance to give a testament to their overall talent and calibre. Instead, when they play 90-odd minutes in the RFDL regularly, it gives coaches like him a far greater sample size to assess and induct a player permanently into the first-team.

“It allows you to see the games real-time, some players who you weren’t able to give chances in the first-team, we get to see them in a real competitive game. This season, we have been giving opportunities to play to many young players. They have gotten some minutes for the first-team, but it’s different when they get to play for 90 minutes. It’s what’s happening in the RFDL. You can see players playing for long periods of a game, and then we can see if they can be of help to us for the next season,” he said.

Cuadrat’s insights have thrown light upon the significance of the league in not only harnessing the skillsets of a particular player, but also the comprehensive assessment of the players’ potential over a reasonable period. With the RFDL continues to march forward and thrive, it serves as a testament to enduring growth of the sport in India.’

East Bengal FC has had a phenomenal run in RFDL so far. They have also qualified for the National Group Stage topping the table of the East Region.

The ongoing season has already witnessed some exciting results where lesser known teams have showcased their talent against the best clubs in the country, which testament to the vision of RFDL.

The third season of the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) got underway across eight zones in February 2024. The three-stage tournament has seen a lot of surprises and emergence of new clubs competing against their more seasoned counterparts in the Regional Qualifiers being held currently. 20 teams will progress from here to make it to the National Group Stage, from which four sides will qualify to the National Championships.

Punjab FC and Delhi FC from the North Zone have already booked their place in the next round of the competition, whereas Bengaluru FC, Roots FC, and Chennaiyin FC have progressed further from the South Zone. FC Goa, Dempo SC, and Pax of Nagoa SC have qualified from the Regional Qualifiers in Goa, whereas NorthEast United FC have moved forward from the Meghalaya-Assam Region. From the East Zone East Bengal FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Adamas United SA and Muthoot FA, Kerala Blasters FC and Parappur FC from Kerala region have qualified for the National Group Stage.

The Regional Qualifiers in Mizoram has seen the progress of Home Missions FC so far, whilst the race for the National Group Stage is still on in Mumbai, and Kerala groups.

About Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL): 

RFDL is part of Reliance Foundation’s continued commitment towards supporting young footballers in India to evolve their skills by providing them more opportunities, world-class infrastructure, sports science expertise and coaching, contributing to the growth of Indian football. Now in its third season, (RFDL) is designed to be a platform for the top U-21 football players to showcase their talent in a highly competitive environment. The tournament is India’s largest and most inclusive U-21 youth tournament comprising of over 50 teams across 9 regions in India from Hero Indian Super League, I-League division I&II and Independent Academies / Clubs nominated by the State Football Associations. With the eyes of academy coaches and scouts from both within the country and abroad, RFDL serves as the ideal platform that they can thrive upon to give wings to their fledging careers moving forward. 

Courtesy :- Reliance Foundation Sports Media.

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MYJGMSC are currently the leaders of the league going unbeaten, with 4 wins out of their 4 matches and 12 points so far. Closely following are Iron Born FC, who are placed 2nd with 3 wins of their 4 matches and 9 points, Maharashtra Oranje FC is ranked third with 2 wins of their four games and 6 points.

Let’s take a look the performance of the top teams of the league table.

MYJ GMSC kicked off their RFDL Mumbai campaign in impressive fashion, clinching victories in their opening four matches. In their debut encounter against Iron Born FC, MYJ found themselves trailing at halftime, but a spirited second-half performance saw them secure a thrilling 3-2 comeback win. Rutig, Kazi, and Andre were the heroes on the scoresheet, with Andre’s injury-time strike sealing the victory. The momentum continued in subsequent matches, as they edged past CFCI with a narrow 1-0 win courtesy of Harsh’s late goal. In a dominant display against Mumbai City FC, MYJ GMSC cruised to a commanding 4-0 triumph, highlighted by Dipu’s brace and contributions from Rutig and Palash. They maintained their winning streak against Millat FC, securing a convincing 3-0 victory with goals from Rajendra, Dipu, and Ridge.

Meanwhile, Iron Born FC, currently occupying the second spot in the standings, have showcased commendable form in their campaign. They commenced their journey with a resounding 3-0 victory over Millat FC, led by Khatib’s brace and a goal from Zeeyan. However, they faced their first setback against MYJ GMSC, succumbing to a narrow 3-2 defeat despite goals from Zeeyan and Shane. Undeterred, Iron Born bounced back with convincing wins over Maharashtra Oranje FC and India Rush Soccer Club, with Khatib leading the charge in their attack.

Maharashtra Oranje FC, positioned third in the league standings, began their RFDL campaign on a high note with a dominant 5-0 win over India Rush Soccer Club. Miit Adekar’s brace, along with goals from Pratham, Harsh, and Aimar, set the tone for their impressive start. However, they encountered setbacks in subsequent matches, suffering defeats against Community Football Club and Iron Born FC. Nevertheless, Maharashtra Oranje regained their momentum with a comprehensive 6-0 victory over Kenkre FC, powered by goals from Aimar, Miit, Pratham, and Harsh. The team’s collective effort, coupled with notable performances from Adekar and Adam, underscores their resilience and determination to excel in the competition.

The current top scorer in the Mumbai leg of the Reliance Foundation Development League is the Iron Born captain Mohammed Khatib who has bagged 3 ‘Man of the match’ awards so far with his brilliant play, scoring 5 goals in total. He is closely followed by Maharashtra Oranje’s Miit Adekar who has scored 4 goals for his side. Further the list contains, Duane from Millat FC, Dipu from MYJ GMSC, Aditya from Community Football Club India, Harsh from Mumbai City FC and Aimar from Maharashtra Oranje, where each one of them have scored 3 goals for their respective teams.

Meanwhile, RFYC started their league campaign from today with 2-1 win over Kenkre FC. RFYC were the champions of Mumbai Leg last year and reached the semifinals of the competition after topping the National Group Stage. The team has recently returned from Japan, having played in the Sanix Cup as part of the exposure tour and would have gained some valuable experience and are currently favorites to go all the way in the competition. It will be interesting to see how the Mumbai leg table of Reliance Foundation Development League shifts from here on.

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