Sport · India Bureau
India's football infrastructure expands with 3.41 lakh registered players
The All India Football Federation has disclosed that India has over 341,000 registered football players, more than 16,000 coaches and 3,347 referees, marking the federation's continued effort to build the sport's grassroots base.
LSN India ·
India's football ecosystem comprises 341,862 registered players, 16,295 coaches and 3,347 referees, according to data provided by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to the Central Information Commission following a Right to Information query.
The figures were submitted in response to an RTI application that sought comprehensive information about India's football infrastructure across the 2015-25 period. The disclosure provides rare insight into the scale of registered participation in Indian football, reflecting efforts by the national federation to document and develop the sport at various levels.
Beyond player and coaching statistics, the AIFF also furnished details regarding injuries reported by Indian Super League clubs during FIFA international windows in 2024 and 2025. The information request additionally sought an assessment of the federation's performance against strategic objectives outlined in multiple policy documents, including the AIFF Lakshya 2022 framework, Target 2026 initiative and the AIFF Strategic Target 2019-22 roadmap.
The RTI application also probed the federation's initiatives aimed at developing youth and women's football, as well as preparatory plans for the senior women's national team ahead of the AFC Women's Asian Cup. The AIFF's response underscores the federation's commitment to documenting progress across multiple dimensions of football development in India.