New Delhi: Football launched the first edition of U-17 Khelo India Girls Football League at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday in a year when the country is all set to host the U-17 Women's World Cup in November.
Shaji Prabhakaran, president of Football Delhi, had told News18.com that he wanted to set up a structured league format for the girls in Delhi and NCR region and this initiative is aimed in that direction.
Eight teams from the city - Hindustan FC, Signature FC, Royal Rangers FC, Bhaichung Bhutia Football School, Khel Khel Mein Foundation, Hans Women FC, Bangadarshan FA and Delhi Student FC - are participating in the first edition.
According to the format of the league, all the teams will play each other in a double-leg format leading to a total of 56 matches. The final day of the league will be January 26 while the matches are scheduled for every Friday and Saturday at the JLN stadium, Janaki Devi Memorial College and Jesus and Mary College. The champion of the league will go on to play in the national U-17 championship.
On the opening day of the league, Hans Women FC took on Bangadarshan FA while Khel Khel Mein Foundation play Signature FC.
At the launch of the league, Prabhakaran said, "We at Football Delhi are committed to the growth of women's football around the city. This is the first edition of the U-17 girls football tournament in Delhi and we will continue our efforts to encourage as well as reach out to more girls to take up the sport. These girls are role models for all of us here and for all those girls in every corner of the country and state who want to pursue football."
The launch also saw the presence of Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi and Anjan Kumar Mishra, Executive Director Finance of Sports Authority of India.
"Watching these young girls come out and play football is really heart warming. The facilities and infrastructure being provided to the girls in football today in Delhi is really commendable and it is a great opportunity for these young girls to showcase their talent and explore the opportunity to represent India," Lekhi said at the launch.
Mishra, on the other hand, said, "This is a great initiative by Khelo India to promote football for women in India. Football Delhi has our full support for this wonderful initiative that will take women football to greater heights in the near future"
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