🏆 YFL Award Ceremony
📍Dubai
📅 May 2, 2026
The 2025/26 Equiti Youth Football League season concluded on a high note for Banaat FC, with the academy celebrating a successful campaign across multiple age groups during the YFL Award Ceremony held on Saturday, 2nd May 2026.
This season marked another major step forward for the club, highlighted by strong league performances, individual recognition, and continued development across the academy. Most notably, the U17 squad secured Banaat FC’s first-ever league trophy, finishing 1st place in Division 1 in a historic achievement for the club.
Led by Coach Sam, the U17s demonstrated consistency, resilience, and quality throughout the campaign, competing against strong opposition and ultimately earning their place at the top of the table. The team’s success was further recognised with goalkeeper Raabiya Zafarullah being awarded Goalkeeper of the Season following an outstanding individual campaign.
Beyond their success in the YFL, several U17 players have also continued to make important contributions within Banaat FC’s First Team competing in the UAE Women’s League. Bogi, Rayana, Celine, Safa, Stella, and Yasmine have all featured as part of the senior squad during an ongoing title-challenging campaign, highlighting the academy’s commitment to creating a clear development pathway for young players progressing into senior football.
Across the rest of the academy, Banaat FC continued to demonstrate strong competitive consistency. Under Coach Kevin, the U15s secured an impressive 2nd place finish in Division 3 after a strong campaign in which they won 9 of their 12 league matches and drew once. The team scored 31 goals while conceding just 13 across the season, narrowly missing out on the league title to Barca Aitana on goal difference. Their performances throughout the year reflected the squad’s quality, discipline, and continued development.
Meanwhile, Coach Rajvi guided both the U11 and U13 squads through highly competitive campaigns. The U11 girls enjoyed a remarkable debut season in Division 1, finishing 2nd place after winning 8 of their 11 matches and drawing once. The team scored an impressive 51 goals while conceding only 16, showcasing an exciting attacking style alongside strong defensive performances, marking an outstanding first year competing in the YFL.
The U13s completed their Division 1 season with positive progression and valuable experience against strong opposition. While the standings may not fully reflect the development shown across the year, the squad continued to grow both individually and collectively, building strong foundations for future seasons.
Across all age groups, Banaat FC has continued to establish itself as a highly competitive and development-focused academy. Multiple teams finishing in top positions reflects not only the talent within the squads, but also the hard work and commitment shown consistently throughout the season by players, coaches, and staff.
This year’s campaign also presented unique challenges off the pitch. Due to recent political events and regional disruptions, the season was affected by scheduling changes, cancelled fixtures, and adjustments to training and match locations. Despite these difficulties, the commitment and perseverance shown across the entire Banaat FC community remained unwavering.
The club would like to extend a sincere thank you to all players, coaches, staff, parents, and supporters for their patience, flexibility, and continued dedication throughout the season. The unity and resilience shown during challenging circumstances played a significant role in helping every team continue competing and progressing at a high level.
As the 2025/26 YFL season comes to a close, Banaat FC looks ahead with confidence and excitement for the future. With historic achievements now secured and strong foundations continuing to develop across all age groups, the academy remains committed to supporting the next generation of players both on and off the pitch.
