Pune, 8 March 2026: The inaugural edition of The Purple Cup, a 5-a-side women’s football tournament celebrating International Women’s Day, concluded successfully at Sportszy Arena, bringing together emerging women footballers for a day of intense competition, community celebration, and empowerment through sport.

Conceptualized and organized by Ritika Singh, India Futsal player and SAFF Futsal Championship silver medallist, the tournament aimed to create a dynamic platform for women athletes while celebrating the spirit of the game through its unique campaign, #HerNameOurGame.

The tournament featured 17 teams from across Pune competing in a league-cum-knockout format, with a total of 36 matches played throughout the day. The event showcased high-quality football and remarkable sporting spirit, highlighting the growing momentum of women’s football at the grassroots level.

Aspire FC ‘A’ emerged as the champions of the inaugural Purple Cup after an impressive campaign, while Dalmatian finished as the runners-up. Aspire FC ‘B’ secured third place.

Individual performances also stood out during the tournament. Anjali Barke of Aspire FC ‘A’ was awarded Best Goalkeeper, while her teammate Sharvari Mane received the Best Defender award. Aishwarya Jagtap from Dalmatian was recognized as the Best Striker of the tournament. Ranjeet Joshi of Aspire FC ‘B’ was named Best Coach, and Jigmet Chunzen of Aspire FC ‘A’ was honoured with the Warrior of the Tournament award for her exceptional performance and determination.

The event was supported by nine sponsors and partners who contributed to making the tournament a memorable experience for all participants. Capri Sports came on board as the Title Sponsor, while Snigmay Foundation powered the tournament by supporting the venue, trophies, and staff refreshments. Additional partners included Rayba as Kit Partner, PHAB as Protein Partner, Plush as Comfort Partner, Enerzal as Refueling Partner, Power Pops as Nutrition Partner, Rio Bubbly Fruit Drink as Beverage Partner, and Mizaki Pune as Gift Partner.

The tournament also welcomed several distinguished guests during the day, including Bhavna Jhamtani and Leah Poonawala. The presentation ceremony was graced by Guests of Honour Chitra Singh and Apurva Dahare.

Speaking about the initiative, Ritika Singh said the vision behind The Purple Cup was to build a platform where women footballers could compete, express themselves, and feel celebrated. She added that the campaign #HerNameOurGame, where players wore their mothers’ names on their jerseys, was a tribute to the first supporters behind every athlete’s journey.

The tournament also generated strong digital engagement through structured social media coverage including 17 team announcement posts, 17 squad announcements, 36 match updates, and multiple live stories and updates throughout the day.

The Purple Cup’s inaugural edition successfully created a vibrant and competitive environment for women’s football in Pune, setting the stage for the tournament to grow into a premier annual event supporting the development of the women’s game.

Tournament Results
Winners – Aspire FC ‘A’
Runners Up – Dalmatian
Third Place – Aspire FC ‘B’

Individual Awards
Best Goalkeeper – Anjali Barke (Aspire FC ‘A’)
Best Defender – Sharvari Mane (Aspire FC ‘A’)
Best Striker – Aishwarya Jagtap (Dalmatian)
Best Coach – Ranjeet Joshi (Aspire FC ‘B’)
Warrior of the Tournament – Jigmet Chunzen (Aspire FC ‘A’)

- SportsAction Desk