Valanka Alemao: Turning heads as barrier-breaker in Indian football

• Valanka Alemao becomes the first woman to head a state football association in India.

• The Churchill Alemao scion says her priority is to revive Goan football and ensure accountability.

• Her dual role as GFA president and Churchill Brothers CEO raises questions about potential conflicts of interest.

The phone hasn’t stopped ringing for Valanka Alemao since Tuesday, 27 October, when she broke a glass ceiling by becoming the first-ever woman to be elected president of a state association in Indian football. The famous surname is a giveaway — the daughter of Churchill Alemao, the strongman of Goan football and owner of Churchill Brothers, has taken over the reins of the Goa Football Association (GFA).

"Trust me, there have been so many phone calls from Kolkata media alone. The city has a special place in my heart after Goa because of its passion for football," said Valanka, 41, as she made her way to join the association’s first handover meeting on Thursday, 29 October. She edged out incumbent Caitano Fernandes by 83-67 votes in a closely contested election, with 10 votes declared invalid of the 160 votes cast.

A lawyer by profession, Valanka has done the hard yards in football administration before moving on to the top job in the state — a position once occupied by her father, a former chief minister, from 2018 to 2022.

She has been a member of the executive committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for the past four years, while also serving as chairperson of the AIFF women’s committee. She has also been a member of the FIFA Women’s Football Development Committee for the 2025-29 term.

For all the media glare she has been basking in over the past few days, many see her elevation as the return of the family’s legacy at the helm of the state’s football administration. Churchill Brothers, founded in 1988 thanks to the passion and largesse of her family, competed on its own steam against corporate teams such as Salgaocar and Dempo, going on to win the I-League — then enjoying the status of the national league — thrice, the Durand Cup thrice and the now-defunct Federation Cup.

The club is now part of the elite Indian Super League (ISL) after Jamshedpur FC transferred its ownership to the Goan heavyweights earlier this year. It is no surprise, really, that Valanka is also the club’s CEO.

Asked how she would handle questions about a possible conflict of interest, given her deep involvement with the family club, Valanka told National Herald: "I was expecting this question. My priority is to bring Goan football on top again and I am also a lawyer — so I know where to draw the lines."

Much is being made of Valanka breaking into what has essentially been a male bastion, though she is no stranger to the AIFF boardroom. Her current assignment is not so much about gender equality as it is about delivering on her plans, she said. "I always felt that it shouldn’t be about gender equality. It shouldn’t just be about the women. It should be about your capability."

The influence of her larger-than-life father also came up for discussion, with Valanka crediting Churchill for instilling in her the belief that she could succeed. "Thanks to my father, who’s made me believe that you can do something, trust yourself. It’s not about the gender, it’s about your capability, your willpower, your dedication and your hard work," she said.

Valanka described her victory as one that placed the emphasis on accountability, while also thanking those who rallied behind her. "This victory is for transparency, for accountability and it’s a victory of the Goan people," she said. "This victory is to revive Goan football all over again."

The football buffs of the country, meanwhile, will be watching.