India’s first FIFA Talent Academy for girls was officially launched in Hyderabad on Saturday. The initiative, part of FIFA’s global Talent Development Scheme (TDS), aims to provide elite year-round training and development to promising young footballers from across the country.

The launch took place during the inaugural Telangana Sports Conclave at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre. It was attended by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Telangana, Shri A Revanth Reddy, along with All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Shri Kalyan Chaubey and Principal Secretary, I&C and IT, Shri Jayesh Ranjan.

“This academy is a game-changer for girls in football,” said CM Revanth Reddy. “It is not only the first of its kind in India but also one of the very few globally under FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme.

The academy will be based at the Gachibowli Stadium Complex and will cater to 60 elite players: 30 boys in the U14 category and 30 girls in the U16 category. Each group will include 10 players from Telangana. Players will benefit from residential high-performance training facilities, in addition to structured education, medical care, nutrition, and mental wellness support.

AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey hailed the launch as a “defining moment” in India’s football journey. “This collaboration with the Telangana government underlines our shared commitment to identify, nurture, and empower football talent, particularly among girls.

The AIFF will oversee operations, talent scouting, and technical curriculum in collaboration with FIFA, while the Sports Authority of Telangana will support the initiative with infrastructure, logistics, and welfare assistance.

The launch aligns with FIFA’s global goal of giving “every talent a chance,” AIFF’s Vision 2047 roadmap, and Telangana’s ambition to become a national sports hub under its Sports Policy 2025.