NEW DELHI: A sustainable grassroots programme through proper implementation bolsters a sport’s ecosystem for years to come. With India coming on the back of hosting its first FIFA World Cup ever, the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 India, the popularity of football in the nation is like never before.

Cashing-in on the growing popularity of the sport, the All India Football Federation General Secretary stressed on the importance of grassroots in the development of sports and the culture of sports that is inculcated through grassroots.

Speaking at the 5th International Convention on Football Business under the GOAL 2018 Programme held at FICCI, in the capital, Mr. Das said, “We have to go and work on the grassroots level and that is the only way we can develop any sport. We should create a culture of sports where from an early age kids are being engaged in a systematic structure for football”

“The AIFF has U-18, U-15 and U-13 leagues and plans to start baby leagues soon. It is only a matter of time before Indian football goes to the next level through this structure of football that has been implemented for men and a similar structure will be setup for Women’s football”

AIFF’s efforts to develop football in India have been recognized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) as well and the AIFF won the AFC President Recognition for Grassroots Football in 2014 and won the AFC Developing Member Association of the Year Award in 2016.

“The kind of talent in Indian football which is coming up is amazing”, quipped Mr. Das on the Indian Arrows and the Indian U-16 National Team which qualified for the AFC U-16 Championship Finals. “It is the content which matters and in the next few years the contents will be very good as the players in the pipeline are exceptionally talented”

“We have been able to transform the setup of Indian football into a proper structure and it is only a matter of time before Indian football goes to the next level”, Mr. Das added.

Sitting on the dias besides the AIFF General Secretary was Indian Women’s Senior National Team’s Dalima Chhibber who hailed the opportunities provided for women’s footballers through the Indian Women’s League. “The Indian Women’s League provided a platform for all women footballers in the country and increased the popularity of the sport amongst women”

“The Indian Women’s League has been a much welcomed initiative started by the AIFF and it has helped young girls realize that they too can play football”