India Football Forum 2016 to discuss game's potential and growth; Vijay Goel to deliver inaugural speech

WITH INDIA HOSTING three major international tournaments within the next 18 months, the BIG one being the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, the long term vision for football development and governance in the rapidly developing Indian sports market is the focus of India Football Forum 2016, presented by STAR Sports.

The India Football Forum 2016, the country's annual industry event for major players in the football ecosystem, will be focusing on how the Under-17 World Cup Legacy Plan, Structural Reform, Commercial Exploitation, Operation and Management of Professional Clubs, Big Data, and Application of New Technologies are all essential components of the larger aim of growing the game and taking it to the people.

Titled " Realising the Long-term Potential", the Chief Guest of this year's high-powered conclave is Shri Vijay Goel, Hon Minister of State (Independent Charge) Youth Affairs and Sports. Additionally, Praful Patel, President, AIFF, is scheduled to deliver a Special Address at IFF 2016, which is taking place in New Delhi this year at the India Habitat Centre, on Tuesday, 08 November.

The hosting of these events, and the engagement activities planned around them, have been the catalyst for the strategic decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support Football in India.

Efforts of the ISL and I-League clubs to engage with the communities in their respective catchment areas is another point of discussion at the event, alongside a look at the impact the ongoing restructuring of league football could have on that process.

Forum delegates will also hear from representatives of LaLiga, AFC and FIFA, offering a global perspective on growing the base of the Indian football pyramid, as well as learn more about the largest grassroots football development program the country has ever witnessed that is being envisioned by the Reliance Group.

Adding heft to the knowledge delivery at this year's IFF is a cutting edge case study presentation by ESP Properties.

Some notable international and national figures who have confirmed their participation at IFF 2016 include:

NITIN KUKREJA, CEO, STAR Sports;

SUNDAR RAMAN, CEO, Reliance Sports;

RAJESH KAUL, President, Distribution and Sports, Sony Pictures Networks India;

VICENTE CASADO SALGADO, Director General | Managing Director, International Development, LaLiga;

DAVE THOMAS, Managing Director, adidas Group India;

ALEX PHILLIPS, Head of Stakeholder Affairs at UEFA - Seconded to AFC;

KUSHAL DAS, General Secretary, All India Football Federation;

JOY BHATTACHARYJA, Project Director, 2017 U-17 World Cup;

JAVIER CEPPI, Tournament Director, Local Organising Committee, U-17 FIFA World Cup 2017;

SHAJI PRABHAKARAN, Regional Development Officer, FIFA;

SUNANDO DHAR, CEO, I-League;

SHIRISH KULKARNI, Executive Director, DSK Developers, President LFC International Football Academy – DSK Shivajians; INDRANIL DAS BLAH, CEO, Mumbai City FC; Founding Partner CAA KWAN;

VINIT KARNIK, National Director – Entertainment, Sports & Live Events, ESP Properties;

JITENDRA JOSHI, Co-founder, Director, SportzConsult;

HRISHIKESH SHENDE, Director – Football & Basketball, adidas India;

GAURAV GOKHALE, Business Head, Football, Star India;

NIKHIL SHARMA, COO at Anglian Management Group, Director at Shillong Lajong FC;

NEEL SHAH, CEO, DSK Shivajians.

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Chaired by noted sports writer, commentator and thinker Ayaz Memon, the India Football Forum 2016 is a must attend for anyone looking for a broader perspective and key insights into the opportunities available and challenges that await in what is the most exciting sports and media market in the world at present.

IFF 2016 takes forward SportzPower's ambition to build an interconnected international platform linking India and the global football industry, to push forward the development and prosperity of India's football ecosystem.

Established in 2010, the India Football Forum, a leading property of the SportzPower Knowledge Series (SKS), brings together some of the best minds in the industry on one platform for what is the definitive conference on the business of football in this market.