New Delhi [India], April 26 : Indian football has recorded a historic 138 per cent surge in women's player registration for the last two years, indicating a healthy growth in the popularity of the sport as well as an increase in young female athletes opting for football, professionally.
According to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Central Registration System (CRS) data, India has 27,936 registered female footballers as of March 2024. This is a massive 138 per cent rise in number of female footballers in the last 21 months. India had 11,724 female footballers registered in June 2022.
President of AIFF, Kalyan Chaubey attributed it to a slew of measures taken in the current season including the introduction of the 2nd tier competition Indian Women's League (IWL-2).
"It's a very positive trend we are witnessing in India. To have as many as 16,212 new female players in our football ecosystem is an encouraging sign that we are on the right track in our planning for women's football in India," said Kalyan Chaubey as per the AIFF press release. "Availability of live broadcast has indeed helped in enhancing the profile of the sport," he added.
The 2022-23 season of IWL was played at a single venue in Ahmedabad among 16 teams, with Gokulam Kerala FC winning their third consecutive title. This season (2023-24) the format was changed to 'home-and-away', which was a big success, appreciated by the clubs, players and fans. Odisha FC emerged victorious ending GKFC's 3-year-long dominance and will represent India in the AFC continental competition.
The inaugural IWL-2 saw the participation of 15 clubs at the group stage, six of which have qualified for the final round scheduled next month in Kolkata.
India today also has 24 active State Leagues for women's football, which acts as the 3rd tier of the pyramid and has helped the national federation populate the sport among the masses.
"These are baby steps we have taken in the last 16-18 months, having a focused approach on women's football. The current season is a breakaway year for Indian football in many ways. We are noticing a rapid growth in the women's football in India. Players and clubs are getting more game time due to an increase in the number of matches in the domestic circuit, making it increasingly competitive. Opportunity to play the AFC organised continental championship - AFC Women's Cup - is a big motivator for India clubs today," said Kalyan Chaubey, adding that, "women's football will have priority focus in the coming years."
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