Laying The Groundwork For India’s Next Football Generation: AIFF, AMM Foundation Sign MoU

Xtratime Webdesk: A structured route from grassroots football to the national talent pool is set to take shape in Tamil Nadu, with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and A.M. Murugappa Chettiar (AMM) Foundation signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday, 18th of September.

The partnership aims to give young footballers more opportunities to play organised football while creating a clearer system for competitions, scouting, talent identification and long-term player development.  As part of the agreement, AIFF will support grassroots tournaments organised under the initiative. These competitions will provide young players with regular match exposure and a platform to showcase their abilities in a structured environment.

The partnership will also introduce a Talent Identification and Pathway Plan. Players who stand out through competitions and scouting will be identified and monitored as they progress through the system. Those showing strong potential could earn invitations to AIFF Talent Winter and Summer Camps, where they will train alongside other promising players identified from across the country.

The camps will allow the players to work on their technical, tactical, physical and psychological development, while AIFF's Talent Identification team will continue to track their progress over the longer term.

The collaboration will also focus on the people working behind the scenes. AIFF will conduct a Talent Identification Workshop in Chennai for scouts associated with the AMM Foundation. The programme will help scouts improve their skills in identifying, evaluating and monitoring young players while familiarising them with AIFF's talent identification methodology.

While speaking about the partnership, AIFF Deputy General M Satyanarayan said, “Our focus in recent years has been on youth, and that has resulted in three of our youth teams in both boys and girls qualifying for the Asian Cup after 20 years. The initiative with AMM will contribute to strengthening the local scouting ecosystem by developing the capacity of scouts and creating a more consistent and structured approach to identifying talented players at the grassroots level.”

Veeru Murugappan, Head of Sport, AMM Foundation, said, “With the recent extension of our partnership with Borussia Dortmund, and now this special co-operation with AIFF, it only further strengthens our ambition to keep using football as a vehicle for social change. Along with the AIFF, we are very excited to grow our grassroots programme and impact more lives in the near future.”

H Narayanan, Senior Assistant Vice President & Chief Executive, AMM Foundation, said, “The partnership with AIFF marks a significant milestone in the growth and development of Murugappa Youth Football Academy. This collaboration will strengthen the football ecosystem by enhancing capacities in sports management, scouting, and talent identification.”