Association reports 75 per cent completion of 2022 vision plan; focus now on final-year infrastructure goal
PANAJI
Ahead of its third Annual General Body Meeting, the Goa Football Association (GFA), under the leadership of President Dr. Caitano Fernandes, released a detailed report outlining progress on the commitments made in its 2022 vision plan.
At a press conference held at the GFA headquarters, Dr. Fernandes stated that over 75% of the initiatives proposed before the 2022 elections have been completed. The vision plan, which was presented to clubs during the election campaign, formed the basis of the current administration’s priorities.
Key infrastructural and administrative developments over the last three years included the relaying of the Duler stadium turf, opening new offices in Mapusa and Margao, and renovations at the Margao and Panjim offices. Other upgrades involved digitising player registrations, launching a new website, and increasing social media engagement.
In terms of match organisation, the GFA reported an average of 1,375 matches annually over the past two years, a significant increase from the previous benchmark of approximately 950 matches. Corporate involvement in the local football scene increased, with companies like VM Salgaocar Corporation and Geno Pharmaceuticals supporting top-tier teams. The Goa Professional League (GPL) also saw improvements in match coverage and competitive quality, with 11 players progressing to Indian Super League (ISL) squads over three years, and one player earning a spot in the national team.
On disciplinary matters, the GFA reported a reduction in matches flagged for suspicious activity. Two players received lifetime bans for involvement in match-fixing. Club performances also improved in national leagues. Sporting Clube de Goa earned promotion to I-League 2 after being nominated to I-League 3, while Dempo SC and FC Goa made advances in national and continental competitions, respectively.
Youth football saw a large share of development efforts, with more than half of seasonal matches played in the U13–U19 categories. Participation in youth leagues was made mandatory for all professional clubs. Notably, two Goan players joined the Reliance Academy and one joined the FIFA Academy in Bhubaneswar. The Goa Sub-Junior team reached the semi-finals of the national championship.
Women's football saw structural developments, including the launch of the U14 Girls League in 2023. Goa subsequently won the Tier 2 U17 Girls Nationals the same year. The current women’s football pyramid in the state includes U14, U17, and Senior Women’s League categories.
Financially, the GFA reported a 174% increase in revenue in the last year. Referee pay was increased by 33%, and 66 new referees were inducted. Additionally, 184 coaches registered or upgraded their licenses since 2022.
On the national level, the GFA received the AIFF’s Best Member Association Award in 2023 after hosting a record five national tournaments that season. Over the past three years, the association has hosted eight national tournaments in total. Goa was also runner-up in the Santosh Trophy and the Beach Football event at the 2024 National Games. August 2024 marked the revival of the Bhausaheb Bandodkar Memorial Trophy, featuring foreign clubs Brisbane Roar (Australia) and Defensa y Justicia (Argentina).
Looking ahead, the final year of the current administration's term will focus on infrastructure, including a roof over the North Stand and development plans for the southern part of the stadium. Areas where progress was limited include beach football and winning the Santosh Trophy, which Goa last won in 2009.
