AIFF to launch National Under-13 League next year

TIL Desk Sports/ In a significant move towards the development of the game at the grassroots, All India Football Federation will launch an Under-13 National League next year. AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said the league would be open to Under-13 teams of the Indian Super League, I-League and academies certified by the federation.

“AIFF stays committed to taking the sport to the kids and we feel 2017 is the best calendar year to launch the Under-13 league as it’s also the year of the FIFA U-17 World Cup which will be hosted in India,” Das told. “After the success of Under-19 I-League and Under-15 League, the Under-13 League is the next step in the structure which takes us closer to the grassroots,” he added.

Asked which teams would be competing in the Under-13 League, Das said, “We expect all the clubs both from I-League and Indian Super League along with certain AIFF certified Academies.” AIFF Technical Director Scott O’Donnell said the Under-13 League would be one in the “right direction”. “Playing competitive football plays a big role in a player’s development. There are some school tournaments for that age-group but with most of them being knock-out ones, the kids lose out when their team loses,” he said.