Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Urges AIFF to Aim for FIFA Top 50 Rankings Within a Decade
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New Delhi, Nov 28 (NationPress) Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, on Thursday urged the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to formulate a detailed strategy focusing on grassroots development and aspire to secure a position within the top 50 of the FIFA World Rankings.
During his address to a delegation of AIFF officials led by President Kalyan Chaubey, Dr. Mandaviya discussed the ongoing AIFF-FIFA Academy in Odisha and outlined plans to establish four additional academies across different regions.
Present at the meeting were Ged Roddy from FIFA TDS, AIFF Secretary General Anilkumar, and Deputy Secretary General M. Satyanarayan.
The AIFF-FIFA Academy was inaugurated in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, following a visit by Arséne Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, who is renowned for his success in nurturing young talent. Currently, the academy in Odisha is home to 32 cadets, with Ged Roddy, the project director of FIFA TDS, visiting India to evaluate the project.
After the meeting, which also underscored the significance of coach development, the esteemed minister assured the AIFF of comprehensive support for football advancement in India.
Dr. Mandaviya stated, “A detailed plan must be developed and implemented to ensure India achieves a FIFA ranking below 50 within the next decade. India has one of the largest reservoirs of young talent globally. The emphasis should be on grassroots initiatives, talent identification, and nurturing along with coach development, which are crucial for the growth of the sport.”
He further remarked, “With rapid economic growth and a burgeoning middle class, attitudes towards sports are evolving. Parents are now encouraging their children to balance academics with sports, unlike in the past,” as quoted by the AIFF in their announcement.
Dr. Mandaviya added, “The Government is dedicated to offering extensive support for sports development in India. New training centers and collaborations with international entities will propel progress.”
AIFF President Chaubey highlighted, “Considering the vast size and population of India, a single AIFF-FIFA academy in Odisha is insufficient. We have proposed the establishment of four more regional academies, receiving the same technical backing from FIFA.”
He also mentioned that the AIFF has submitted a comprehensive plan to the honorable Sports Minister. “Currently, India has 25 fully professional clubs in the ISL and the I-League, along with 80 AIFF-accredited academies, all of which have under-13 teams, the details of which have been presented to the ministry.”
“If the under-13 players from 105 teams adhere to the same Football Philosophy under FIFA’s technical guidance via five zonal AIFF-FIFA Academies, we could potentially have 110 under-13 teams. This initiative could produce approximately 3,300 players (assuming 30 players per team), all trained under the same football philosophy. The success of this project may enable India to qualify for the U17 World Cup based on its own merits,” stated the AIFF President.
