What began in 1999 on reclaimed mining land in Sankhali, building on the legacy of the Sesa Sports Club, has evolved into a robust football development programme. The Sesa Football Academy (SFA) has since seen more than 230 players graduate from its residential programme, with 14 going on to represent India internationally. Beyond the academy, SFA’s leagues, camps, tournaments and grassroots initiatives have engaged over 8,000 young footballers, and the academy has retained its AIFF Three-Star Accreditation for a second consecutive cycle.
In 2017, it launched the Vedanta Women’s League, which has provided competitive opportunities to more than 1,400 women footballers across eight editions. Building on this momentum, SFA established its Senior Women’s Team in 2023; within two years, the team became Vedanta Women’s League champions, secured a podium finish in IWL-2, and qualified for the Indian Women’s League, bringing a Goan club back to the country’s premier women’s football competition after a three-year gap. For us, however, the significance of SFA’s footprint is truly gauged through the numbers impacted as part of the various initiatives over the years – the SFA has provided wings to the aspiration of over 8000 boys and girls through activities such as workshops, hosting grassroots to national level tournaments, collaborating with schools for talent development & encouraging the students to take up the sport, setting up of regular footballing events such as the Vedanta Youth Cup, Vedanta Women’s League among others. What impact has the Vedanta Women’s League had on women’s football in Goa since its launch in 2017? The Vedanta Women’s League was launched in 2017 in collaboration with the Goa Football Association to create a dedicated competitive platform for women footballers in the state. Over eight editions, the League has had a cumulative footfall of over 1400+ players, helping create a wider and more sustainable pathway for women’s football in Goa. Its impact is also visible in the way five Goan women’s teams have featured over the years at the Indian Women’s League – the top tier level for the women’s game in India – with SFA Women’s Team making their debut during the 2025-26 season.
The League has endured disruptions due to COVID-19 and others, yet Vedanta’s commitment to backing the sport has remained steadfast. Hence, today after eight seasons, the Vedanta Women’s League has therefore evolved from being a tournament into an ecosystem, giving women players the opportunity to play, compete, and to live their dreams out – in many ways the Vedanta Women’s League is truly a League of Dreams. SFA’s impact is perhaps most visible in women’s football. The objective has always been to give young players the discipline, environment and opportunity to turn talent into a sustained sporting journey. Q. The impact is also manifested through the journeys of players who have progressed beyond the state. Karishma Shirvoikar, Michel Castanha, Sushmita Jadhav, Pearl Fernandes, Aaroshi Govekar and Valaina Fernandes have gone on to represent India at international tournaments, demonstrating what a consistent competitive platform can enable.
