The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has recently signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Subroto Mukherjee Sports Education Society (SMSES) in New Delhi on August 2, 2023. The primary objective of this collaboration is to promote and elevate youth football in India, with a particular focus on the prestigious Subroto Cup, an inter-school football tournament.
AIFF Secretary General, Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran, expressed that this partnership will strengthen the country’s youth football structure, integrating schools into India’s competitive football scene. Through this MoU, SMSES will field a Subroto XI team in the AIFF’s youth competitions, comprising the best players scouted from various age categories of the Subroto Cup. The Selection Committee for the Subroto XI team will consist of representatives from SMSES, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), and scouts nominated by the AIFF.
The selected players will gain direct entry into the AIFF Youth Leagues for both boys and girls from the 2023-24 season onwards. Additionally, a one-time cash scholarship of Rs 25,000/- will be awarded to each of the 25 identified players in the U-17 Boys and Girls categories, while the Sub-Junior (U-14) category players will receive Rs 15,000/- each. These players will also be assessed using an IT-assisted Talent Development Scheme and may have the opportunity to attend National Team training camps in their respective age categories.
Furthermore, the AIFF will encourage ISL, I-League, and IWL clubs to send their scouts to the Subroto Cup matches. Marketing collaborations between AIFF and SMSES are also planned to enhance the visibility of the Subroto Cup through innovative production and broadcasting methods.
Moreover, the AIFF will assist SMSES in age detection of players using the TW3 method, and dedicated coach education programs will be conducted for coaches of the teams in the Final Rounds. Coaches identified from the Final Round teams will be upskilled to the AIFF C License through a suitable plan.
Overall, this partnership between AIFF and SMSES is expected to bring positive changes to the Subroto Cup and the youth football ecosystem in India, providing young talents with better opportunities and recognition on the national stage.