Girls take centre stage as RF Youth Sports Football returns to Kashmir

Srinagar, July 26: The Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RFYS) U-19 Girls Football tournament returns to Kashmir for a successive year, following a landmark inaugural campaign last year. The competition kicked off on Saturday, 26th July 2025, at the Green Valley Educational Institute ground in Srinagar.
This year, over 200 girls across 12 teams from Jammu & Kashmir will participate - a reflection of the growing interest in football among young girls in the region. RFYS continues to provide these aspiring players with structured competition, increased game-time, top-quality infrastructure, and professional exposure to help them develop their game and dream of a future in the sport.

The inaugural season saw eight teams participate in the competition with the much-anticipated final being held between SRM Welkin and Delhi Public School, Srinagar. The former were crowned champions after they registered a resounding 3-1 win over DPS, Srinagar at the Green Valley Educational Institute ground.

Earlier this year, RFYS also hosted a Women Match Officials Workshop in Srinagar in collaboration with the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The nationwide initiative brought together over 170 women match officials from across India, offering them training and exposure to strengthen the ecosystem for female referees in the country. Through these initiatives, RFYS is not just supporting players but also building a more inclusive and robust football culture — empowering women across different disciplines of the game.

Over the years, Kashmir has become a key football hub for RFYS, with strong participation in both boys and girls categories. By offering quality infrastructure, regular matches, and structured support, RFYS is not only developing talent, but also sparking a growing interest in football among the youth.
26th July 2025 Fixtures:
• 09:30 AM – Comrade FC vs Woodlands School
• 11:00 AM – SRM Welkin vs Downtown Heroes
• 02:00 PM – Green Valley vs Kashmir Harvard

About Reliance Foundation Sports:

Reliance Foundation's sports initiatives have touched the lives of approx. 23 million young people since 2013 across the country from over 13,000 schools, colleges, clubs & academies enabling an opportunity for talented children anywhere to be able to achieve their dream of a career in sport. It is especially committed to ensuring more presence and the success of girls and women athletes in India and designs its programmes in a manner that offers them maximum opportunities. Reliance Foundation’s sports programme aims to develop the sporting ecosystem in India starting from the grassroots. Through its scholarship and athletics programmes, the foundation currently supports over 200 athletes in more than 10 Olympic sports. It also operates three world-class athletics training facilities in India and has partnerships with the IOC, IOA, AFI, and Odisha government. Reliance Foundation runs the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) football academy, which is India's highest-rated football academy, with 40+ graduates bagging professional contracts with top Indian football clubs. The Foundation's approach to developing the football ecosystem includes organising three grassroots / youth initiatives: Reliance Foundation Youth Sports, RFYC Naupang League, RFYC Coastal League and Reliance Foundation Development League.

For more information, please follow on: https://www.rfyouthsports.com/

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