AIFF to provide Rs 24 lakh financial aid to states

The All India Football Federation's (AIFF) executive committee, on Wednesday, approved the proposal of its development committee to provide a financial aid of Rs 24 lakh to each state association for all-round development the sport.

The AIFF held its executive committee meeting in Gangtok.

"In its effort to grow the game throughout the country, the executive committee accepted the development committee's proposal to provide financial support of Rs 24 lakh for each state association under the banner of the AIFF," the parent body said in a statement.

"This financial assistance may be utilised by the state associations for their women's, men's and youth leagues, office spaces, equipment, and grassroots development," it added.

The EC also approved the DC's recommendation that the AIFF provide support to each state association in the appointment of two key personnel for each state "to hire their respective administration heads and technical co-ordinators".

The executive committee approved a few suggestions that were earlier forwarded to it by the competitions committee, the first of which was concerning the senior men's national football championship for Santosh Trophy.

"The legacy competition of Indian football will be played with the final round having 12 teams (10 qualifying states, along with the Services and the Railways).

"The group stages will be placed across six groups of five to six teams each, and the group toppers, along with two best second-placed teams, the hosts, the Services, and the Railways will play in the final round."

The EC also agreed with the competitions committee's suggestion that the senior women's nationals qualifiers be held in December.