Gachibowli FIFA Academy Offers Hope for Indian Football

Hyderabad:Concerns over India’s absence from the FIFA World Cup qualifiers have gained attention amid the ongoing global football tournament, with smaller nations such as Cape Verde making notable progress on the international stage. Sports enthusiasts have been questioning the reasons for India’s underperformance, particularly as multiple Asian teams have secured qualification. Experts attribute the situation to inadequate adoption of scientific training methods, administrative issues within football associations and limited institutional support.

They, however, point to emerging initiatives such as the FIFA Talent Academy at Gachibowli as a positive development. India currently hosts two such academies, which train under-16 girls and under-14 boys. Experts said sustained efforts could improve India’s prospects for future tournaments, including the 2034 World Cup.

E.S. Shyam, an Asian Football Confederation licence holder and coach for the State Bank of India football team, said, “The FIFA Talent Academy is a ray of hope for India. With proper training, state government support and regular exposure to international leagues, these young players can reach that level.”

He added, “The period from 1950 to 1970 was considered the golden era of Indian football, when India won gold at the Asian level. The 1960 Rome Olympics was a historic milestone, marking the last time the men’s national team qualified for the Olympic Games.”

Former footballer R. Christopher, who captained united Andhra Pradesh, said Hyderabad had earlier produced several players for the national team but had seen a decline in football infrastructure and participation.

He said, “Hyderabad once had several good football grounds where players practised every morning and evening. However, over time, many of these spaces disappeared. LB Stadium is mostly used for functions, Goshamahal Stadium was allotted for hospital construction, Nizam College grounds stopped allowing teams to practise, and several other grounds vanished.”

He added, “Earlier, league matches were held regularly, with at least 18 teams taking part. Each team had the opportunity to play around 18 matches.”

On revival measures, he said, “Football is declining due to systemic governance failures, poor grassroots development and the marginalisation of local competitions, including the suspension of professional matches. If the state government recruits coaches and organises training camps at different grounds, India could reach the FIFA World Cup in the next eight to 10 years.”