India's vast size and diversity posed as obstacles in the initial preparatory stage, but having crossed the hurdles, FIFA's head of events Jaime Yarza has promised to deliver a 'magnificent' U-17 World Cup football.
Italy's top-flight Serie A soccer league launched a new anti-racism campaign on Monday by presenting artwork featuring three side-by-side paintings of apes but the move has been described by campaign group Fare as a sick joke. News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be a part of the FIFA U-17 World Cup's opening day proceedings, which will include a small ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Friday.
India football coach Igor Stimac said his team is capable of upsetting Oman in their World Cup qualifying opener but conceded that the visitors will start outright favourites in the September 5 clash.
Laggards in international rankings, India finally made their presence felt by pulling off an impressive under-17 World Cup that drew all-round praise even though the country was eliminated in the very first round.
All India Football Federation president, Praful Patel on Tuesday dismissed reports that national coach Bob Houghton has put in his papers after being shoddily treated by the AIFF.
India stun Argentina in U-20 COTIF Cup football tourney
National Anti-Doping Agency chief Navin Agarwal confirmed the former India captain was tested by NADA officials in March but declined to elaborate further.
The sport remains popular only in certain geographic areas while the television appetite is restricted to the English Premier League or Spain's La Liga.
71-year-old Sven-Goran Eriksson won 18 trophies with various clubs in Sweden, Portugal and Italy, between 1979 and 2000, and became the first manager to win league-and-cup doubles in three countries.
Mohun Bagan's star players like Okolie Odafa, Tolgay Ozbey and Syed Rahim Nabi are free to leave the green-and-maroon brigade and play for some other clubs.
Priyanka Sujeesh orchestrated the attacks from the middle of the park, while Amisha Baxla looked lively from the right flank.
Five years after the Indian Super League was established, so has its effective preeminence in Indian football.
Stephen Constantine will return as Indian football team's chief coach for the second time as his name has been cleared by the AIFF.
On the last day of the competition, Yash Vardhan and Shreya Agrawal bagged three gold medals each.
Stranded in Srinagar for more than a month due to the coronavirus-forced national lockdown, Real Kashmir FC head coach David Robertson and his family will finally return to Scotland on Thursday, ending an anxious wait to attend to his sick mother. Robertson, his wife Kim, son Mason, who plays for the club, and three support staff reached Jammu on Wednesday by an official bus of RKFC which left Srinagar early in the morning. They will fly back home in a British Airways flight from Amritsar on Thursday afternoon.
Images from the opening day of the Federation Cup football tournament on Wednesday.
In a stunning development in Indian football, two-time champions Churchill Brothers were thrown out of the I-League along with three other teams for failing to fulfil the AIFF's club licensing criteria.
Playing with ten debutants, India came back strongly in the second half to eke out a draw in their first international game since the COVID-19 lockdown last March.
A winless India must beat Bangladesh on Monday if they want to jump to third spot in Group E standings and keep themselves afloat for a direct berth in the Asian Cup third qualifying round.
The All India Football Federation on Wednesday hailed Bangalore lad Ishan Pandita's signing a contract with Spanish La Liga side Club Deportivo Leganes to play in the youth team, describing it a landmark achievement.
Dilip Kumar 'got annoyed and was about to leave the stage before things were brought under control'.
An important factor in India's stupendous success in 2021 was the way the government opened its coffers to support athletes.
This is India's best-ever FIFA Ranking since April 1996 when India were also ranked 100.
In one of the biggest achievements in Indian football history, unheralded Aizawl FC on Sunday lifted the I-League crown after they held Shillong Lajong 1-1 in a tense match in Shillong.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Indian football team has turned into a decent home side but it is in desperate need for away games, says inspirational skipper Sunil Chhetri, who feels the next target for the country should be a top-10 place in Asia so that the big guns invite them over.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
In a first of sorts for Indian football, the national team implemented the 'Player Tracking System' at its ongoing preparatory camp at the DSK Dream City, the home of DSK Shivajians Football Club, in Pune.
India's friendly match against German football giant, Bayern Munich in January next year will be Indian legend Bhaichung Bhutia's "official farewell match", the AIFF said on Saturday.
A section of the All Indian Football Federation is likely to strongly oppose the extension of national coach Armando Colaco's contract when the matter comes up for discussion in a crucial executive committee meeting in New Delhi.
The All India Football Federation will have to wait a little longer to make an official presentation to the FIFA to host the 2017 U017 World Cup as the government is yet to give its final approval to the bid.
Indian football head coach Igor Stimac hailed Sunil Chhetri, saying the talismanic captain was one of those who "glorified" Indian football with his dedication in the 15 years of his illustrious career. The 35-year-old Chhetri on Friday became only the second Indian after legendary Bhaichung Bhutia to complete 15 years in Indian jersey.
The budget constraints notwithstanding, the All India Football Federation is looking for a technical director whose profile is bigger than former national coach Bob Houghton, according to AIFF officials.
With an aim to make the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup a huge success, the Sports Ministry has urged all the states and Union Territories to take necessary steps to popularise and promote football in their region by including the game in various programmes. In a letter sent to all Chief Secretaries of states and Union Territories, Secretary, Department of Sports Rajiv Yadav has said that FIFA U-17 World Cup is going to be held in India in October 2017 for the first time. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' programme on March 27, the letter said that the Prime Minister has called for building an atmosphere and fervor of football in the country as a run up to the FIFA U-17 World Cup. He said the Prime Minister wants football to be played in every nook and corner of the country. The communication further said that following the call of the Prime Minister, the Department of Sports has initiated a series of steps to popularise football throughout the country.
Mumbai FC footballer Nishant Mehra has been banned for two years by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for failing the dope test conducted on him in January this year.
Indian tennis icon Leander Paes, who will participate in the Olympics for the sixth time next year, said he is keen to promote Indian football, perhaps in the role of a brand ambassador.
India's star striker Sunil Chhetri is in doubt for India's Asian Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan as well as the international friendly against Lebanon next month, according to his I-League club Bengaluru FC's chief executive officer.
Experienced Englishman Bob Houghton's tumultuous yet productive five-year stint as Indian football coach came to an end on Saturday in controversial circumstances after a bitter stand-off with the AIFF, which had charged him for racially abusing an Indian referee.
Bembem hoped the Padma Shri will act as recognition for women's football in India.
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