National U-17 Football Competition Kicks Off In Mumbai, Kolkata

National U-17 football competition kicks off in Mumbai, Kolkata (Image Source: IANS)

Reliance Foundation Young Champs: The first edition of the National U-17 football competition kicked off in Mumbai and Kolkata on Monday.

The tournament features six teams from major AIFF-accredited clubs and academies (East Bengal, Reliance Foundation Young Champs, Mumbai City FC, Chennaiyin FC, Bengaluru Soccer Schools, FC Goa) and will catalyze identifying young talent, with the potential to represent the nation on an international stage.

With the involvement of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), this tournament offers players a pathway to selection for the National Camp in June.

The DSC, launched by Dream Sports Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dream Sports, seeks to elevate youth-based competitions in Indian football and is the country’s only second such U17 Football Competition. The tournament aims to provide aspiring football champions with a platform to showcase their skills at the highest level.

Commenting about the launch, Bhavit Sheth, COO & Co-founder of Dream Sports said, “We believe that the path to creating world-class champions is by building long-term and sustainable programs. In addition to our already existing grassroots training and mentorship programs, we have now added high-quality competition and avenues for early talent identification via Dream Sports Championship. This platform will help scouts tap into India’s vast potential at an early stage and groom potential talent. We are thankful to AIFF for its support and look forward to DSC becoming a springboard for identification of future national champions.”

In the upcoming 2024 football edition, participating teams will kick off their journey in the Regional Round Phase. Spanning across six cities — Mumbai, Delhi, Shillong, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Goa — the Regional Round Phase is scheduled from April 1 to April 18. Subsequently, the top eight teams will advance to the national final slated for May 2024 in Mumbai.

The Kolkata and Mumbai legs will start on April 1 and continue till April 7 and 8 respectively. The remaining four legs of the tournament will subsequently take place in Shillong, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Goa.