The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Department of Sports and Youth Services (DSYS), Government of Odisha, have renewed their partnership aimed at strengthening elite youth football development in the country.
The renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on May 8, 2026, extends the collaboration for another five years and focuses on expanding the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy initiative in Odisha.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Vijay Yeddula, Director of Sports, DSYS, and M Satyanarayan, Deputy Secretary General of AIFF. AIFF Technical Director Syed Sabir Pasha was also present during the signing ceremony.
The renewed partnership builds upon the first agreement signed in November 2023. According to AIFF, the academy programme has already produced visible results in under two years, including a semi-final appearance in the U17 AIFF Elite Youth League 2024-25, four players progressing into the India U17 national team setup, and an Odisha-based girl footballer advancing to the India U19 Women’s National Team.
Speaking after the signing, AIFF Deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan said the federation remained committed to expanding youth football pathways in the country.
“We are deeply grateful to the Government of Odisha and the Department of Sports and Youth Services for their continued trust and support in renewing this partnership. The results from our first cohort speak for themselves – players who trained at the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy have gone on to join top academies, represented India at the U17 level at just 15 years of age, and we have already seen promising youngsters from Odisha making their mark,” he said.
“This is only the beginning. With this renewed agreement, we are committed to building on that momentum and taking Indian football to greater heights,” he added.
Under the revised structure, the academy programme will function through a more formalised framework with clearly defined governance systems, financial commitments, operational responsibilities, and performance benchmarks.
The initiative will continue to function under FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme and is expected to integrate international training standards, sports science support, and structured pathways into professional football.
As part of the agreement, AIFF will oversee the technical and operational aspects of player development, while the Odisha government’s Department of Sports and Youth Services will provide infrastructure, institutional backing, and financial support for the programme.
Officials said the collaboration is intended to strengthen long-term football development systems and create a sustainable pipeline of young Indian talent for national and international competition.
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