According to All India Football Federation (AIFF) Central Registration System (CRS) data, there are 27,936 registered women football players in India as of March 2024. This is a massive 138% increase in the number of female footballers in the last 21 months. 11,724 players registered in June 2022.
AIFF claims that the policies adopted by the current management have helped in creating a conducive environment for women footballers in the country. AIFF President Kalyan Choubey said, “This is a very positive trend that we are seeing in India."The addition of 16,212 new women players to our football ecosystem is an encouraging sign that we are on the right track in our plan for women's football in India."
Choubey attributed this increase to several measures including court reforms brought in for the Indian Women's League (IWL) in the current season of 2023-24, besides the introduction of the second division competition IWL-2. "The availability of live broadcasts has really helped raise the profile of the sport," he said.
The 2022–23 season of the IWL was played between 16 teams at a single venue in Ahmedabad, with Gokulam Kerala FC winning their third consecutive title.
The format was changed to 'home-and-away' this season (2023–24), which was a huge success, appreciated by clubs, players and fans.Odisha FC emerged victorious, ending GKFC's 3-year dominance and will represent India in the AFC continental competition. The inaugural IWL-2 saw the participation of 2 clubs in the group stage, of which six have qualified for the final round to be held in Kolkata next month, an IAFF release said.
There are now 24 active state leagues for women's football in India, which serves as the third tier of the pyramid and have helped the national federation popularize the game among the masses.
“These are small steps we have taken over the last 16-18 months focusing on women's football. The current season is a different year for Indian football in many ways.“We are seeing rapid growth in women's football in India. The increase in the number of matches in the domestic circuit has led to players and clubs getting more game time, making it increasingly competitive. The opportunity to play the continental championship organized by the AFC – the AFC Women's Cup – is a motivating factor for Indian clubs today,” said Kalyan Choubey, “Women's football will be a priority focus in the coming years.''
AIFF claims that the policies adopted by the current management have helped in creating a conducive environment for women footballers in the country. AIFF President Kalyan Choubey said, “This is a very positive trend that we are seeing in India."The addition of 16,212 new women players to our football ecosystem is an encouraging sign that we are on the right track in our plan for women's football in India."
Choubey attributed this increase to several measures including court reforms brought in for the Indian Women's League (IWL) in the current season of 2023-24, besides the introduction of the second division competition IWL-2. "The availability of live broadcasts has really helped raise the profile of the sport," he said.
The 2022–23 season of the IWL was played between 16 teams at a single venue in Ahmedabad, with Gokulam Kerala FC winning their third consecutive title.
The format was changed to 'home-and-away' this season (2023–24), which was a huge success, appreciated by clubs, players and fans.Odisha FC emerged victorious, ending GKFC's 3-year dominance and will represent India in the AFC continental competition. The inaugural IWL-2 saw the participation of 2 clubs in the group stage, of which six have qualified for the final round to be held in Kolkata next month, an IAFF release said.
There are now 24 active state leagues for women's football in India, which serves as the third tier of the pyramid and have helped the national federation popularize the game among the masses.
“These are small steps we have taken over the last 16-18 months focusing on women's football. The current season is a different year for Indian football in many ways.“We are seeing rapid growth in women's football in India. The increase in the number of matches in the domestic circuit has led to players and clubs getting more game time, making it increasingly competitive. The opportunity to play the continental championship organized by the AFC – the AFC Women's Cup – is a motivating factor for Indian clubs today,” said Kalyan Choubey, “Women's football will be a priority focus in the coming years.''
