This marks Pune’s second consecutive title, with Mumbai once again finishing as the runners-up.

Both Pune and Mumbai were seeded directly into the quarter-finals and made strong starts to their campaigns. Mumbai defeated Palghar 5–0 in their quarter-final, while Pune recorded an identical 5–0 victory over Kolhapur.

In the semi-finals, Mumbai faced Ahmednagar and secured a narrow 1–0 win to book their place in the final. Pune, meanwhile, produced a dominant performance against Thane, winning 4–0 to set up a repeat of last season’s final.

The final was a rematch of last season’s championship decider, where Pune defeated Mumbai 2–1 with a stoppage-time winner in Palghar. This time, the first half remained evenly contested, with both teams going into the break level at 0–0.

Pune came out strongly after the restart and broke the deadlock early in the second half. Yashika Tejwani unleashed a powerful long-range effort that found the back of the net, giving Pune a 1–0 lead.

Pune continued to control the game and doubled their advantage through Tejwani, who scored her second long-range goal of the final. As the match approached its conclusion, last season’s Player of the Tournament Ritika Singh put the result beyond doubt with a composed second-post finish. The move was calmly set up by Ipshito Gawari.

Pune held on to their 3–0 lead until the final whistle, securing their second consecutive WIFA Inter-District Senior Women’s Championship title.

3rd Place Match – Ahmednagar vs Thane

In the third-place match, Ahmednagar faced Thane. The teams were level at 1–1 after regulation time, sending the match to a penalty shootout. Ahmednagar held their nerve to win the shootout 3–1 and finish third in the championship. Ahmednagar clinched consecutive 3rd Place in the WIFA Inter-District Senior Womens Championship

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The match began perfectly for Maharashtra, who took the lead in the 15th minute through a stunning free-kick from captain Aysha Sartape. Positioned just outside the box, she curled the ball beautifully into the top corner, giving her side an early boost.

Uttar Pradesh responded well and equalised in the 25th minute. A smart through ball from Shbana found Divya, who finished calmly into the bottom corner to bring the game level at 1–1.

The second half, however, belonged entirely to Maharashtra. In the 56th minute, Aarnaa Sindhav made it 2–1 by tapping in a well-placed cross from Sharvari Mane. As Uttar Pradesh pushed forward in search of another equaliser, Maharashtra began finding more space and took full control of the match.

Sharvari turned scorer in the 83rd minute, driving forward from deep before unleashing a powerful strike into the top corner to extend the lead. Maharashtra sealed their win just four minutes later when Ipshita Gawari dribbled past three defenders and placed the ball into the net for a brilliant individual goal in the 87th minute.

The final whistle confirmed a memorable day for Maharashtra — a strong performance, four well-crafted goals, and a fully deserved championship title. Uttar Pradesh, despite the defeat, also earned promotion to Tier 1 after an impressive run to the final.

For Maharashtra, the triumph reflects teamwork, discipline and attacking flair, marking a significant step forward for their junior girls’ football program.

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The ceremony was attended by a host of dignitaries, adding grandeur to the occasion. Leading the event was WIFA President Shri Praful M. Patel, joined by Shri Chhatrapati Maloji Raje, Dr. Vishwajeet Kadam, and Shri Sunil Dhande, the Vice Presidents of WIFA. Their presence highlighted WIFA’s unwavering commitment to fostering a thriving football ecosystem in the state. In his address, Shri Praful Patel extended warm congratulations to all the award winners and lauded their dedication to the sport. He also shared his vision of scaling the award ceremony to greater heights in the years ahead, in step with the rising standards and accomplishments within Maharashtra football.

The Maharashtra State Award Ceremony 2024-25 stood as a powerful testament to WIFA’s continued efforts to elevate football in the region — recognizing dedication, encouraging excellence, and inspiring the next generation of footballers in Maharashtra.

List of Awardees – WIFA Awards 2024-25

Lifetime Achievement Awards

• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sanman Puraskar (Administrator Category): Shri Haresh Vora
• Rajmata Jijau Football Vikas Puraskar (Grassroots & Community Building): Shri Sunil Poojari

District Awards

• Top Performing District in WIFA Competitions: Mumbai Football Association
• District Promoting Football Through Tournaments: Dhule District Football Association

Individual Awards – Coaches

• WIFA Coach of the Year (Senior Men): Shri Paresh Shivalkar
• WIFA Coach of the Year (Senior Women): Smt. Surbhi Manjrekar
• WIFA Coach of the Year (Youth – Boys): Shri Shrungar Raul
• WIFA Coach of the Year (Youth – Girls): Kumari Prithvi Gaikwad

Individual Awards – Players

• WIFA Best Player of the Year (Senior Men): Shri Yash Shukla
• WIFA Best Player of the Year (Senior Women): Kumari Prerna Meshram
• WIFA Best Player of the Year (Youth – Boys): Kumar Yuvraj Kadam
• WIFA Best Player of the Year (Youth – Girls): Kumari Gauri Gurav

Referee Awards

• WIFA Referee of the Year (Men): Shri Divyesh Ule
• WIFA Referee of the Year (Women): Kumari Anushka Pandit

Maharashtra State Youth & Senior League Awards

Youth Club League – Sub Junior (Boys)

• Champions: Rising Pune
• Runners-Up: Oscar Foundation

Youth Club League – Junior (Boys)

• Champions: Loukik FA
• Runners-Up: D’souza FA

Youth Club League – U-17 Elite (Boys)

• Champions: D’souza FA
• Runners-Up: Sports Mania FDC

Youth Club League – Junior Girls

• Champions: YMCC
• Runners-Up: KMP Aspire FC

Senior Women’s Club League

• Champions: Mumbai Knights
• Runners-Up: Aspire FC

Senior Men’s Club League

• Champions: Magic Made Soccer
• Runners-Up: MYJ – GMSC

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The opening two days were packed with action as districts battled to book quarterfinal places. Pune made a strong start with a 6-1 win over Thane, while Kolhapur advanced with a commanding 9-0 victory against Amravati. Ahmednagar defeated Satara 6-1, Nagpur overcame Nashik 2-0, Gondia edged Palghar 1-0, and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar beat Solapur 5-0 to complete the quarterfinal lineup.

Mumbai entered the tournament directly in the quarterfinals and began their campaign against Kolhapur. The city side dominated set pieces to record a 4-1 win, scoring through a free kick, a rebound, a long-range effort, and a penalty following a red card. Pune also impressed in their quarterfinal, beating Nagpur 3–0 with goals from Tanvi Kore, Ritika Singh, and Sanika Deshpande. Elsewhere, Yavatmal overcame Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar 4-0, while Ahmednagar cruised past Gondia 5-0.

The semifinals on August 14 produced emphatic scorelines. Pune outclassed Ahmednagar 7-0 with strikes from Ritika, Aditi Gadekar, Purva, Pooja Gupta, Prerna, and Mahika. Mumbai were equally dominant, defeating Yavatmal 9-0 thanks to a hat-trick from Bhumika, a brace from Shriya, and goals from Sakshi, Shreya, Nishka, and Niyati. The results confirmed a Pune versus Mumbai final, with Ahmednagar and Yavatmal contesting the third-place playoff.

In the playoff, Ahmednagar beat Yavatmal 4-0 to secure third place, with a hat-trick from Sumaiya Shaikh and a goal from Tanisha Shirsul.

The final brought a dramatic conclusion to the tournament. Mumbai struck first in the 2nd minute, with Nishika Prakash unleashing a stunning long-range strike into the top corner to give them a 1-0 lead. Pune responded after the break, with Payal Kothari converting a free-kick in the 59th minute to level the score. In the dying moments, a Pune attacker was fouled in the box, resulting in a penalty, and Ritika Singh calmly slotted home in the 90th minute to seal a 2-1 win for Pune.

PC: WIFA Media Team

Individual Awards
• Player of the Tournament: Ritika Singh (Pune)
• Best Forward: Sumaiya Shaikh (Ahmednagar)
• Best Goalkeeper: Nikita Desai (Mumbai)
• Best Defender: Prerna Meshram (Pune)

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Kolhapur Sports Association led by Shri Malojiraje Chhatrapati (President of K.S.A. and Vice President W.I.F.A. Mumbai), and Mrs. Madhurimaraje Chhatrapati (Women’s committee member A.I.F.F., New Delhi and Chairman Women’s committee, W.I.F.A. Mumbai) in an effort to uplift the sorry affairs, provided a total fund of 2,05,000/- INR to 18 referees on 30th July, at the New Palace.

K.S.A. office bearers- Mr. Deepak Shelke, Mr. Manik Mandlik, Mr. Rajendra Dalvi, Shri. Nandkumar Bamne, Prof. Amar Sasne and members of the executive board- Nitin Jadhav, Nikanth Pandit – Bavdekar, Manoj Jadhav, Vishwambhar Malekar- Kamble, Sangram Singh Yadav, Deepak Raut, Balkrishna Pore, Deepak Ghodke and secretary of Kolhapur Soccer Association Mr. Pradip Salokhe, office bearers, and referees were present during the event.

The Western India Football Association extends their gratitude to the Kolhapur State Association for coming forward to help our referees.

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Also Read: Amidst rumour of interest from Japan, Apuia signs for Mumbai City FC

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Over 200+ young footballers participated in the event hosted at the Cooperage Stadium, Mumbai with the event open to footballers aged under-13, under-15 & under 18. The under-13 age group played a 5-a-side game; the under-15 age group played an 8-a-side game while the under-18 age group played an 11-a-side game.

Apart from the competition, PIFA also organized a fun-filled activity based as well as a Skills contest in which the participants were judged upon 3 main categories which were; Dribbling; Passing & Shooting. Workshops were organised for parents simultaneously, which were based on social cause mainly focusing on the balance of football and education. Apart from this, even the importance of playing football, diet and time management were discussed.

There were around 10 volunteers involved who worked very hard on and off the pitch. At the end of the 2-day event, the participants along with their parents got a huge surprise as Indian Super League professional footballer Siddharth Singh from Jamshedpur FC (PIFA student) came and gave them a talk about his past experiences at PIFA and how he went on to make his Indian Super League debut!

PIFA also conducted a workshop for adults aged 18 to 50 years of age which involved a small sided game 8v8 at Stanislaus Ground, Bandra in Mumbai on 7 May 2018. The workshop included a discussion with these adults wherein Nirvan Shah the CEO of PIFA spoke about the health benefits of exercising and how it helps overcome social anxiety and stress-related issues.

Another event was conducted an open age group workshop for Women at the PIFA Bandra centre on 10 May 2018, in which they got a free 1-hour training session conducted by PIFA accredited professional coaches. They also got an important talk about women’s empowerment through sports and the health benefits. Adhuna Akhtar Bhabani, CEO of BBlunt was also participated in this event and washappy to see young women participating in football and playing with passion.

The various programs affected over 500 players, parents and volunteers.

Also Read: Indian football gets a boost as AIFF prepare to join new Asian football federation

Also Read: MDFA to hold trials for WIFA Inter-district Football

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All Super division and Elite divisions’ players of Mumbai District Football Associations are invited to attend the trials which will be held on St. Xavier’s Ground, Parel next Monday i.e. 14^th of May.

The WIFA Inter-district football tournament will be held on 27th of May at Meenatai Thackarey stadium, Nashik.

Date: 14th May

Time: 8:00 am onwards,

Eligibility: Super Division and Elite Division players

Location: St. Xavier Ground, Parel

Also Read: A win against Jordan gives us the much-needed confidence, says Bibiano Fernandes

Also Read: I League 2nd Division: Gaurs rescue a late point against a spirited Ozone FC

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“This Program by WIFA Skillanation fills the need of the hour. We need to train Football Managers to build the eco-system of football in the country and these young boys and girls are skilled to do exactly that!” said Kushal Das, General Secretary of All India Football Federation.

The course turned out to be quite effective and successful as it has opened the doors for the passionate fans who were looking to specialise in the beautiful game.

WIFA CEO, Henry Menezes said, “We are seeing a rapid increase in the commercialisation of Football in the country and multiple revenue streams are driving this growth. In this scenario, it is essential to have highly trained sport-specific Football Managers lead this growth and steer the business with sharp acumen and robust skill sets. These Football Managers are the first wave of professionals to fill this vacuum and grow the Football eco-system in our country in a sustainable manner.”

Such courses must be put forward all over the nation which will help football popularise in a cricket-savy nation. There has been tons of situations over the years where teenagers decided to change their profession or has stopped taking football as a career.

This is major because of lack of opportunities in India. Now that the football governing body has initiated such management courses, the platform is right up there for grabs.

“As the governing body of Football for Maharashtra it is imperative that we cover all development avenues and this football management program is much needed for the fast emerging opportunities and we have launched it at the right time,” said Souter Vaz, Honorary Secretary of WIFA.

Over the past 12 months the students have garnered immense exposure and helmed international responsibility by being associated with the organising of the India vs Puerto Rico international friendly match and the India vs Nepal international friendly.

They also visited the AIFF HQ to learn first-hand from key personalities such as Javier Ceppi, the Tournament Director of the U-17 FIFA World Cup 2017. They have also planned and conducted the WIFA Champions Leagues for Men, Women and Youth along with other marquee events such as Mission XI Launch and the I-League matches played at Cooperage Football Stadium.

“The Post Graduate Diploma in Football Management course has enriched my knowledge in Indian Football. Along with football, I learnt essential skills such as decision making, independent thinking and teamwork which enhanced my abilities to thrive within the industry,” said Naivedya Paramartha, Gold Medallist of the batch.

His fellow Gold Medallist, Bhavya Jain added “After working for several initiatives and leagues handled by the state body, the course provided me with great insights in the field of sports and functioning in various parts of the world. I developed a huge understanding for the game.”

The students are already hired to work with prestigious organizations such as JSW Sports, Bengaluru FC, Mumbai FC, WIFA, Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and Hudl.

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Over 25 Women coaches representing 11 districts of Maharashtra participated in this 3-day course. The Course was engineered to tutor the participants in AIFF’s Grassroots philosophy in tune with FIFA and AFC’s Grassroots philosophy.

Apart from conducting Grassroots philosophy, Mr. Leon Menezes (Project Manager – WIFA Just Play) conducted “Just Play” Sports for Development sessions on the importance of Sanitation and Hygiene along with Gender Equality. This made the event more unique and informative as educating kids on such sensitive topics is nothing but a great initiative.

Through practical and theory sessions participants understood the importance of redefined Grassroots football and how to develop children football in their region. Also, participants learned the significance of organizing Baby leagues.

On the last day of the course, coaches conducted the festival with about 50 girls, from the Oscar Foundation working with Underprivileged Children. Mr. Kiran Chougle, Assistant Secretary, WIFA was present for the closing ceremony and congratulated the Girls on successfully attending the course.

During the conclusion of the course, all the Coaches were awarded AIFF Grassroots certificates for their immense efforts and contribution.

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Earlier today, in a groundbreaking news, AIFF (All India Football Federation) has announced that over seventy applications have been received for the Academy Accreditation process for the year 2017-18.

This is an astounding figure which indicates towards the growth of football academies which will initially give a platform to the aspiring kids who wish to become a professional footballer.

The AIFF had also gone on to conduct workshops across various regions where a hundred and twenty-five academies from all across India participated. The workshops were conducted to explain the accreditation procedure and its significance for youth development.

This is the sector where India had been lacking behind since a very long time. The Academy Accreditation process introduced by The AIFF is a step taken to strengthen and improve the Youth Development System in the country.

Even WIFA (Western India Football Association) and Indian Super League (ISL) side Mumbai City FC has proposed Clubs, Academies, and Training Centres for Accreditation of ‘Football Development Centre.’

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