U15 Women’s Youth League will begin on October 15, 2026, as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) introduces its first national competition at this age level for women’s youth clubs. The tournament will be held at the Sporting Planet Sports Complex in Belagavi, Karnataka, and will bring together 16 teams from different parts of India. The final is scheduled for October 31.

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U15 Women’s Youth League to Feature 16 Teams

The inaugural U15 Women’s Youth League will have 16 participating teams divided into four groups of four teams each. The group stage will provide young players with a national-level competitive platform and an opportunity to play against teams from different regions.

The top two teams from each group will move into the quarter-finals. The competition will then continue with the semi-finals before the final on October 31.

The four groups have been drawn as follows:

Group A: SESA Football Academy, HOPS FC, Roots FC and Krida Prabodhini Pune.

Group B: Juba Sangha FC, Sethu FC, PFC Kerala and Project Mahadeva FC.

Group C: MGM Ambush Club, DKR Football Academy, SAG Football Academy and Community FC India.

Group D: Portais Sporting Club, RKM Football Academy, Belgaum United Football Academy and Mumbai Knights FC. Belgaum United Football Academy will play as the host team.

Belagavi to Host the Inaugural Competition

The Sporting Planet Sports Complex in Belagavi will host the first edition of the U15 Women’s Youth League. The selection of Belagavi gives Karnataka an important role in the launch of a new national competition for young female footballers.

The tournament is part of the wider expansion of organised football opportunities for girls in India. Competitions at younger age groups can give players regular match experience while helping clubs and academies identify and develop young talent.

AIFF Expands Women’s Youth Football

The U15 Women’s Youth League follows the launch of the AIFF U17 Women’s Youth League earlier in 2026. The inaugural U17 competition began in July with 16 teams and used a similar group-stage and knockout format.

The addition of the U15 competition creates another level within the national youth football structure. It gives clubs and academies a dedicated platform for players below the U17 level and can support a more continuous development pathway.

The AIFF has also been expanding opportunities through other women’s football competitions. The 2026-27 Indian Women’s League is scheduled to begin on October 16, while the Indian Women’s League 2 will start its group stage on October 23.

More Opportunities for Young Female Players

The growth of competitions at different age groups is taking place alongside wider grassroots programmes. The AIFF has previously supported youth football through the ASMITA Football Leagues, which have provided competitive opportunities for girls across multiple states and Union Territories.

The U15 Women’s Youth League adds a national club-level competition to this wider development system. For participating academies, the tournament will provide an opportunity to test their players against teams from outside their local competitions.

The structure also allows successful teams to progress through several stages in a short tournament period. Eight teams will reach the quarter-finals, followed by four semi-finalists and the two teams that compete for the inaugural title.

Women’s Football Structure Continues to Grow

The launch comes during a period of increased activity in Indian women’s football. Along with the new youth leagues, the AIFF is working on the development of the senior women’s club system. In September 2026, the federation announced a 15-year partnership with Capri Sports for the commercial development and marketing rights of the Indian Women’s League and Indian Women’s League 2.

The AIFF said the wider development of women’s football includes increased participation, more competition opportunities and efforts to strengthen the club ecosystem.

At the international level, Indian women’s teams have also been involved in continental competitions across different age groups. The AIFF has highlighted the return of India to the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup and AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup in 2026, alongside qualification of the senior women’s team for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup through the qualifiers route.

The U15 Women’s Youth League will therefore become another part of this growing football structure when the first matches begin in Belagavi on October 15.

Participating Teams

The 16 teams taking part in the inaugural competition are SESA Football Academy, HOPS FC, Roots FC, Krida Prabodhini Pune, Juba Sangha FC, Sethu FC, PFC Kerala, Project Mahadeva FC, MGM Ambush Club, DKR Football Academy, SAG Football Academy, Community FC India, Portais Sporting Club, RKM Football Academy, Mumbai Knights FC and Belgaum United Football Academy.

With the competition running from October 15 to October 31, the inaugural U15 Women’s Youth League will give young players and participating clubs a new national platform as the AIFF continues to expand women’s football opportunities in India.