In 2015, FIFA released a short documentary portraying India as world football’s “sleeping giant.” With a population of 1.4 billion and immense interest in the sport, this description seemed fitting. However, nearly a decade later, India remains a minor player in the global football scene, with little visible progress.
While government organizations appear to be making efforts—primarily to appease public sentiment—deep-rooted cultural, political, and financial barriers continue to hinder the sport’s development in the country.
Indian Football: Sleeping Giant or Giant in Hibernation❓
87 years of existence in the Most Populated Country which is improving in every aspect, yet the Future of it seems to be darker over each passing day. From winning Asian Games to struggling for scoring a goal against_(1) pic.twitter.com/P5DKWpyyiI
— Tannu (@Tannu_Reads) April 14, 2024
On the other hand, several private organizations, both large and small, are tackling these challenges at their core. Their initiatives aim to prepare future generations to compete with the world’s best footballing nations.
The Age Factor
Football in Europe (and other nations with good sporting infrastructure) drastically differs from what we see in India. It starts from the grassroots level, with timing being a key separator. In India, most children who dream of making it big in professional football start getting training at the age of 7-8.
However, India’s efforts lag by a year or two behind globally accepted international standards. Ideally, children should begin learning football in a professional environment at the age of 4 or 5—an age when cognitive development can be effectively paired with physical growth.
Starting early has numerous benefits. It not only helps young players develop essential skills needed to succeed but also fosters a deeper understanding of game sense—knowing what to do and what not to do on the field.
Where do they even go?
Another factor limiting grassroots football development in India is the lack of adequate facilities. Proper football grounds are scarce across the country, and those that do exist are often ill-suited for grooming future professional players.
Moreover, individuals who have access to such facilities often remain unaware of their existence. Whether this is due to a lack of targeted marketing or broader gaps in digital infrastructure is difficult to determine. This is where private companies have stepped in over the years.
Sports-tech platforms in India have identified this gap and are working to make sports discovery more seamless. Spolto, a Pune-based startup, for example, has embarked on a mission to provide a one-stop platform for finding football coaches and academies nearby.
Their active marketing campaigns aimed at promoting the sport and available facilities in the city represent an exciting initiative. Increasing awareness of these efforts could lead more people to discover and access training opportunities.
How are corporate companies helping?
There are both big and small players in the market looking to contribute to the overall growth of football in India. JSW Group, owners of Bengaluru FC, for instance, have made significant investments in football (and other sports) infrastructure, playing a crucial role in transforming the landscape of Indian football.
The company has developed state-of-the-art facilities, including the Bengaluru FC Training Centre, and has focused on building a strong youth academy system.
Similarly, Reliance Industries, one of India’s largest conglomerates, has made a profound impact on the growth of football through its ownership of the Indian Super League (ISL), which has been pivotal in professionalizing Indian football.
Reliance has invested heavily in both infrastructure and grassroots initiatives, such as the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports program, which aims to identify and nurture young talent across various disciplines, including football.
By supporting ISL clubs and providing platforms for young players to showcase their skills, Reliance has been a key player in creating a competitive domestic football environment.
Their long-term commitment includes the development of world-class football facilities, talent scouting, and extensive community outreach programs, all of which are shaping the future of Indian football.
How sport based start-ups are helping to improve the Football ecosystem
- Exposure: Dream 11: Dream11 is one of the world’s largest Fantasy Cricket & Football Games, with an exponentially growing user base of 3.5 Million+ users. Their mission is to make every game exciting for sports fans globally.
- Football tech: Indifoot Sports: Indifoot Sports is on its way to empower the masses with the holistic development of sports with the introduction of technology for the masses making sports tech available, affordable and accessible for young kids involved in sports and for amateurs playing for leisure, fun and fitness. Footrax is a performance-tracking tech product of Indifoot Sports that offers software and GPS wearables designed to track and analyze sports data.
- Football tech: Pitch Vision: PitchVision enables the sports market to connect with training and live match streaming technology. It manufactures hardware and software, which combine to help in the training and development of players at all levels. The latest system is the live streaming product PV/Match which allows a team to record, livestream and analyse any sport anywhere.
- Football training: Playo: Playo is an app-based platform for booking sports venues and players. It allows users to book courts, find coaches & trainers, and more. Also, players can track their performance, find & join communities, and more.
- Football training: Spolto: Launched in 2022, Spolto aims to connect people who want to engage in sports with their partners, which include academies and coaches.
