Football in India Is Growing with New Tournaments and Training Centers

By Abhishek Kumar

Football is getting more popular in India. Many new matches, training camps, and leagues have started in different parts of the country. These changes are giving more chances to young players. It is also helping football become more serious and professional in India.

Durand Cup 2025: India’s Oldest Football Match Series

The Durand Cup 2025 began on July 23 and will finish on August 23. It is the 134th season of this tournament. It is the oldest football event in Asia. This year, the matches are being played in five cities — Kolkata, Imphal, Shillong, Kokrajhar, and Jamshedpur.

A total of 24 teams are playing in the tournament. These include teams from the Indian Super League (ISL), I-League, and also from the Indian Army. So far, there have been exciting matches and many goals. This shows that the level of football in India is going up.

To help young football players, Rajasthan United Football Club (RUFC) has started a new academy in Jaipur. This is a residential football school, where players will live, learn, and train.

The academy will give good coaching, education, and a healthy place to grow. It is also helpful for players from small towns who do not get good training easily.

The Madhya Pradesh government is building a new football center in Bicharpur, a small village where many kids play football. People call it “Mini Brazil” because football is very popular there.

The center will have full-size football grounds, trained coaches, and medical help for the kids. It will focus on training children between 8 to 16 years old.

A new football league called the Bengal Super League (BSL) has started in West Bengal. There are 8 teams from different parts of the state. The goal is to find good players from villages and give them a chance to show their talent.

These new steps in Indian football are very helpful. With the support of clubs and governments, young players now have better chances. This will help Indian football grow and become stronger in the future.