Manipur champions for 12th time in Dr. Talimeren Ao Junior Girls' NFC
Anantapur, December 8
Manipur clinched their 12th Dr. Talimeren Ao Junior Girls' National Football Championship Tier 1 title with a resounding 9-0 victory over Bengal at the RDT Stadium in Anantapur. The triumph also sealed a remarkable hat-trick of titles, as per the official website of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
For Manipur, Chingkhamayum Redima Devi (8', 41', 65') and Longjam Nira Chanu (29', 55', 59') netted hat-tricks, while Yaiphabi Thokchom (68', 76') scored a brace. Mongjam Pusparani Devi (75') scored one. Manipur led 3-0 at half-time.
By the end, there was no doubt - Manipur were champions again, and emphatically so. Bengal, chasing a fairy-tale finish, were left to reckon with a final in which they simply never arrived, while Manipur marched on in a dominant, decorated and deserving fashion.
Tamil Nadu became champions of the Sub Junior Boys' National Football Championship 2025-26 Tier 2, defeating Telangana 2-1 at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh.
The two finalists have thus earned promotion to Tier 1 of the Sub Junior Boys' NFC for the 2026-27 season.
Tamil Nadu surged into the lead in the 13th minute, when Souvik Halder scored, before Abidnego S (45+1') doubled the lead in the first half injury time.
Telangana only managed to pull one back deep in the injury time of the second half, albeit through Jeremiah P's (90+11') own goal.
In the Sub Junior Girls' National Football Championship 2025-26 Tier 2, Uttar Pradesh won by defeating Kerala 2-1 in the final at the RKM Ashrama Ground, Narainpur, Chhattisgarh.
Both the teams secured promotion to Tier 1 for the upcoming edition as the finalists of this season.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Congratulations to Manipur! But a 9-0 scoreline in a national final also highlights a worrying lack of competitive balance. AIFF needs to work on developing football talent more evenly across all states, not just a few traditional powerhouses.
Great to see Tamil Nadu and UP winning in the boys' and girls' sub-junior categories! Promising signs from these states. The future looks bright if we can nurture this talent properly. More investment in grassroots academies is the need of the hour.
Chingkhamayum Redima Devi and Longjam Nira Chanu with hat-tricks each! These names should be in the headlines more often. We need to celebrate our women football stars with the same fervor as the men. Brilliant performance, girls!
As a football fan living in India, it's inspiring to see such passion at the junior levels. The tier system with promotion/relegation is a good step. Hope the promoted teams get the support they need to compete in Tier 1 next season.
Heart goes out to the Bengal girls. To reach the final is a huge achievement itself. They should hold their heads high and use this experience to come back stronger. The journey matters as much as the destination. 💪
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.