New Delhi [India], September 19 (ANI): The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the A.M. Murugappa Chettiar (AMM) Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday, September 18, 2026, to strengthen grassroots football development and establish structured pathways for young and talented players in Tamil Nadu and across India, according to a press release.
The joint initiative will provide greater opportunities for children to participate in organised football at the grassroots level, while establishing an organised framework for grassroots competitions, talent identification, player development and progression.
As part of the collaboration, AIFF will support the organisation and conduct of grassroots tournaments, providing young players with regular opportunities to compete, develop and showcase their abilities in a structured footballing environment.
A key component of the collaboration will be the implementation of a Talent Identification and Pathway Plan. Players demonstrating potential through the grassroots competitions and scouting process will be identified and monitored as part of the talent pathway. Promising prospects will have the opportunity to be invited to AIFF Talent Winter and Summer Camps, where they will train under experienced coaches alongside other identified talents from across the country.
The camps will provide the identified talents with an opportunity to further develop their technical, tactical, physical and psychological capabilities, while enabling AIFF's Talent Identification team to monitor their progression in the long-term.
As part of the MoU, AIFF will also conduct a Talent Identification Workshop for scouts associated with the AMM Foundation in Chennai. The workshop will focus on strengthening scouts’ knowledge and skills in player identification, evaluation and monitoring, while familiarising them with AIFF’s Talent Identification methodology and pathway framework.
The programme will also 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.
Speaking on 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.” (ANI)
AIFF and AMM Foundation sign MoU to build structured grassroots football pathway
