Women Player’s Registration Reaches New High in AIFF

Women Player’s Registration Reaches New High in AIFF
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As per AIFF data, India’s registered female footballers have surged to 27,936 as of March 2024 from 11,724 recorded in June 2022. This marks a significant 138 percent increase in women’s player registration over the past two years, reflecting not only a burgeoning popularity of the sport but also a rise in young female athletes choosing football as a professional pursuit. The All India Football Federation’s Central Registration System (CRS) data underscores this remarkable growth trajectory in women’s football participation.

It’s a very positive trend we are witnessing in India,” said AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey.

To have as many as 16,212 new female players in our football ecosystem is an encouraging sign that we are on the right track in our planning for the women’s football in India.”Chaubey credited the rise to a series of initiatives, notably the “course correction” implemented for the Indian Women’s League (IWL) during the ongoing 2023-24 season, along with the subsequent launch of a second division competition, IWL-2.

Availability of live broadcast has indeed helped in enhancing the profile of the sport,” he added.

In the 2022-23 season, the Indian Women’s League (IWL) took place at a single venue in Ahmedabad, featuring 16 teams, with Gokulam Kerala FC clinching their third consecutive title. However, for the 2023-24 season, the format shifted to a ‘home-and-away’ structure.

This season saw Odisha FC emerge victorious, putting an end to Gokulam Kerala FC’s three-year reign, and securing the opportunity to represent India in the AFC continental competition.

The second edition of the IWL witnessed the participation of 15 clubs in the group stage, with six teams qualifying for the final round scheduled to be held next month in Kolkata.

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