AIFF organised a “Futsal for All” initiative to increase participation and awareness in India

AIFF wants To Popularise Futsal Across India

In an attempt to increase the popularity of futsal, the AIFF recently organised a ‘Futsal for All’ festival that aims to increase inclusiveness by arranging matches and activities for children, young adults, older citizens, and people with disabilities.

Participants who registered for the event were provided with attractive giveaways such as futsal balls, customised futsal bibs, branding material as well as certificates of recognition, which were also presented to volunteers, organisers, and various stakeholders.

The AIFF has steadily been on the path to improving the foundations of futsal and has been systematically curating activities to encourage more people to develop an interest in the sport.

The All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) recent initiative, saw fun events, small-sided games, and workshops aimed at increasing participation and understanding of the sport across the nation. These activities range from introducing the AFC Futsal Coach Education courses and organising online and physical workshops for Futsal referees and launching a Futsal Club Championship for the senior men’s category. Futsal has also been included in the AIFF’s Golden Baby League programme which is a player development initiative for children aged between the U-6 and U-12 categories

In a statement issued on Thursday, the AIFF said as many as 3,415 players from various Indian states, as well as 314 volunteers, took part in the Futsal for All initiative and had the chance to compete in games and participate in other futsal-related games.

AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said: “Futsal is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and we want to step up our efforts to spread its popularity rapidly in India in the near future. We look forward to continued support from FIFA, the AFC, and SAFF for the development of the game.”

Dr Shaji Prabhakaran, general secretary of the AIFF, added: “We are very pleased to share the success story of Futsal for All. We are serious about developing futsal in India and will soon announce our plans to grow the futsal landscape in our country.”

(Main picture: AIFF)