AIFF conducts workshop for National Women’s League

The workshop for the proposed NWL was attended by participants of Hero Indian Super League and I-League clubs.

In an attempt to bolster the National Women’s League, slated to begin later this year, the All India Football Federation conducted a workshop at its headquarters in the capital on Tuesday.

The effort was aimed at strengthening the senior women’s national team by developing a sustainable and competitive environment for club football. The workshop for the proposed NWL was attended by participants of Hero Indian Super League clubs (Delhi Dynamos, Chennaiyin FC, Kerala Blasters, FC Pune City, Atletico de Kolkata) and I-League Clubs (Bengaluru FC, Aizawl FC, Mumbai FC).

Said AIFF general secretary Kushal Das, “We believe that India has potential when it comes to women’s football and we want to capitalise on that.

“We have the potential to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup and then go on to play the Fifa World Cup in 2019.

“We will launch the women’s league in October 2016 and this workshop aims to get a consensus for successful launch of the league,” Das added.

Reflecting on the calendar and the national team, Das said, “The AFC U-19 championship will be in October and we will have a national camp before that.

“Next, we intend to hold the nationals in November and December, while the final phase of the NWL will be held in January/February 2017 building up to the qualifiers in April 2017.”