Mumbai City to launch football schools as the merging of leagues draws closer

ISL FRANCHISE Mumbai City FC are launching a chain of 'Centres of Excellence' aimed at providing young kids an introduction to football through qualified coaches.

The football schools can be seen as a first step towards eventually building a full-fledged academy that can work as a functional supply chain for the first team.

The first Centre of Excellence is expected to open at Navi Mumbai where it will open trials for local children aged 7 and 8.

Talking about the inititative, Mumbai City CEO Indranil Das Blah said,

"Having reached out to thousands of kids, coaches and parents over the last two years via our workshops and festivals, we believed that it is the right time now to start our own Centres of Excellence... the CoEs are aimed at providing regular, specialised coaching to kids in the under-8 and under-9 age groups across Mumbai. We will have dedicated centres and coaches in multiple zones across Mumbai. The kids for each of the CoEs will be shortlisted through scouting camps to ensure a level playing field for all.”

With the ISL preparing to merge with the I-League its franchises are finally taking steps towards starting long-term grassroot development programs so that they can fulfil the requirements for an AFC A-License. Atletico de Kolkata and Delhi Dynamos have recently taken steps towards launching academies and now Mumbai City have also joined in on the activities.