Football is currently among the topmost popular sports in India, rivaling the long-standing dominant cricket in terms of the television audience and players’ involvement. Presently, football is played almost everywhere in the country – in the streets, parks, and schools. Also, tons of enthusiasts of the sport, both old and young, continue to follow the progress of popular club leagues and international games via various means – while rooting for their favorite teams and star players.
Gone are the days when cricket was the only known sport played in India. Football is fast changing the face of sports in the country today, with fans of the sport constantly multiplying, new leagues emerging, and many young players getting the opportunity to display their talents on a more global level. Also, a detail that bears mentioning is that the sport has a fascinating history in the country and holds a vibrant culture.
In this article, we will review how football is evolving into the sport of the future generation in the country.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017
India hosting the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017 was an outstanding achievement – marking the first year India got into an international tournament of such a level. The event provided an opportunity for the country to improve its football facilities and stadium to a higher grade. Also, the popularity of football in the country was boosted last year as numerous people were eager to watch star footballers in real-life action. According to some sources, this tournament is the best FIFA U-17 World Cup with an attendance of 1,347,133 – beating the 1,230,976 attendance recorded in the same competition held in China in 1985.
It is noteworthy that Indian’s performance in this competition was impressive. Also, the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is slated to hold in India. These are great signs that football has excellent potential among India’s young and future generations.
From I-League to the Indian Super League (ISL)
Football in India had struggled to keep its head above the water ever since after its golden era – a season when Indian football witnessed many successes and excellent performances. In earlier years, the only football league in India was the Indian league – also known as I-League. The AIFF created this league as the National Indian Football League in 1996 before it took on the name I-League in 2007. Meanwhile, this league was not at its best as it lacked much-needed massive attention and sponsorship.
ISL was created in 2014 and has since drawn much attention to football in India. As a result of the decision made by AIFF and AFC in 2019 – known as the AIFF-AFC roadmap, ISL displaced the I-League as the top division of Indian football. The Indian Super League has brought positive transformations to Indian football as it has attracted big football stars and coaches, numerous international sponsors, and massive media attention to the sport – drawing bigger crowds (both locally and internationally) to watch Indian football. Also, the ISL has tremendously increased the revenue and foreign investment of Indian football.
The improvements that ISL has brought to Indian football are significant pointers to the sport’s bright future in the country.
Grassroots football in India
Though the ISL has done a great job over the years in bringing Indian football to the limelight and enhancing its commercial value and revenue, the real work in securing football as the sport of the future generation is at the grassroots level. Thus, ISL is focusing on the future of sports in India by investing in grassroots football.
Lately, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been working in line with the definition of grassroots football – inspiring, promoting, and providing resources for children under the age of 12 to play football. This new initiative launched by AIFF promises to create new leagues for children between 6 to 12 years and also organize camps and workshops in schools all over India.
ISL is also helping discover and develop many young Indian football talents via its U-17 and U-19 teams. These teenage talents currently playing in the ISL have a great potential to become top-class players in the future.
Betting on football in India
Due to the popularity of football and its big number of enthusiasts in India, you can only expect that the rate of football betting in the country will skyrocket. Football betting is a popular way for Indians to get income and be rewarded for their zeal for the sport. Indians bet on local and international football games, including the ISL, FIFA Cup matches, La Liga, Champions League, and Premier League – which is especially common among football pundits in India.
Another major factor responsible for the high rate of football betting in India is the massive increase in the number of offshore betting sites in the country – since there are no such laws that prohibit online betting. These sites provide Indians with a wide range of football betting odds to choose from – allowing Indians easy access to play bets on football games. The wide availability of phones, fast internet, and other technology-driven solutions has a significant role in this.
According to research, the rapidly growing rate of football betting in India today is expected to multiply in later years. This is another solid reason why football in India is the sport of the future generation.
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- Ensure you have enough information about the game, league, or team you’re betting on
- Follow expert tipsters for correct prediction and information
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Conclusion
Football has been a part of India’s history and culture and will remain so. With the new developments in recent years and efforts put in place by the football governing bodies of India, it is safe to say the future of football in the country is taking shape and will soon be recognized as the giant it has once been. Visit Parimatch today for a flawless and fantastic experience betting on football.
