AGENCY
New Delhi: 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 PTI.
“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.” (PTI)