The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has partnered with Dream Sports to enhance youth development and strengthen under-16 football across the country. The AIFF Junior League has been rebranded as the Dream Sports Championship-AIFF Junior League Finals, with the third edition scheduled to take place in Goa from May 3 to May 14.
Tournament Details
The tournament will feature 16 teams from various regions of India. League-stage matches will be held at Raia and Utorda, while the final will be hosted at the Atal Stadium in Bambolim.
Neel Shah, CEO of Dream Sports Foundation, emphasized the importance of structured pathways for young talent. "Indian football needs strong, structured pathways for young talent to progress and thrive," he said. "Our partnership with AIFF allows us to build on an existing national framework and elevate it through the Dream Sports Championship."
AIFF's Perspective
AIFF Deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan described the partnership as a vital step in elevating the tournament's standards. "By strengthening the competitive pathway at this level, we are directly investing in the future of the sport and the long-term growth of the India U17 national team," he stated.
Premier League Collaboration
Dream Sports Foundation has also announced a strategic partnership with the Premier League for the upcoming championship. The Premier League will deliver a series of high-impact coach-development workshops and masterclasses for participating coaches and support staff at the Dream Sports Championship and the AIFF under-16 Junior League.
"These sessions will focus on areas such as training methodology, match management, physical conditioning, psychology and leadership, as well as bringing global best practices to the Indian football academies' ecosystem," Dream Sports stated on Thursday.
