FC Mangaluru, the first professional Football Academy in Dakshina Kannada with 3 Star rating by All India Football Federation, was inaugurated by MLA N A Haris. He lauded the efforts of the president of the Club Farhaad Yenepoya for taking the initiative to develop the sport of football and pledged all his support in this endeavour.
I M Vijayan, Indian Football legend and Arjuna awardee, wished the club all success and spoke about his long association with the F C Technical Director Biby Thomas. He appreciated the management of the Yenepoya University for providing one of the best maintained International standard turf grounds in the country.
Farhaad Yenepoya, president of the club, shared the vision of the club to promote and nurture sporting talent from the grassroots level. The website of the club was launched during the function and the Jersey of the I League was presented to Murshid, member of FC Mangalore U18 team.
Yenepoya Deemed to be University, in recognition of the work done by the Dakshina Kannada Football Association for the promotion of Football in the region and the state of Karnataka, honoured D M Aslam, president, DKFA, Vijay Suvarna, vice president, Karnataka State Football Association and Mohammed Hussain Bolar, secretary, DKFA.
The U-18 I League team left for the first I League tournament.