Media Release

Mangaluru, Jan 13: Yenepoya University, Mangalore, emerged champions of the AIU South East Zone Inter-University Football Championship 2025–26, organised by Woxsen University, Hyderabad, and concluded on Saturday.

With this emphatic victory, Yenepoya University has qualified for the All-India Inter-University Football Championship, scheduled to be held at Kolkata, West Bengal, from January 30 to February 8.

Since the 2022–23 season, following the restructuring of AIU football competitions from four zones to eight zones, Yenepoya University has consistently qualified as zonal champions for the All-India Inter-University Football Championship, underlining its sustained excellence in university football.

In the quarterfinals, Yenepoya University defeated St Joseph’s University, Bengaluru (Karnataka) by 3–0, securing a place in the league stage.

During the league matches, Yenepoya delivered dominant performances:

Defeated Osmania University, Hyderabad (Telangana) by 5–1 in the first league match

Beat Hemchand Yadav Vishwavidyalaya, Chhattisgarh 2–0 in the second league match

Registered a massive 12–0 victory over Pt Ravishankar Shukla University, Chhattisgarh in the final league match

Yenepoya University topped the league table with nine points from three matches. Hemchand Yadav Vishwavidyalaya (Chhattisgarh) finished second with four points, followed by Osmania University (Telangana) with the same points tally. Pt Ravishankar Shukla University (Chhattisgarh) finished fourth.

All four teams qualified for the All-India Inter-University Football Championship 2025–26.

The Yenepoya University team was guided by Biby Thomas (head coach), supported by Nithin (physiotherapist), with Sujith K V, physical director and head of the department of Physical Education, Yenepoya University, serving as the team manager.

The seven-day championship, hosted by Woxsen University, Hyderabad, concluded successfully on January 10.