AIFF, AFC set up joint task force for football structure in India

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will set up a joint taskforce with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to formulate a new roadmap for the sport in the country.

The AIFF on Tuesday outlined its proposed plans to the continental body before agreeing to take AFC's expertise in its proposed plans.

An AIFF delegation, led by general secretary Kushal Das, visited the AFC headquarters here, according to an AIFF release.

AIFF shared its proposed plans of identifying the Indian Super League (ISL) as its premier tournament with the I-League from the 2017-18 season, to be renamed League One, becoming the second grade tournament, to the AFC management led by its general secretary Dato' Windsor John.

It was decided that the taskforce will discuss its next steps in its first meeting after the AFC Extraordinary Congress in Goa on September 27.

Dato' Windsor John said in the release: "The AFC has been following the developments in India extremely closely. The AFC's vision and mission sets the goal of ensuring that football is the number one sport in Asia and India is a very important country if we are to achieve that objective."

"Football in India has great potential for growth and development as was outlined by AIFF and it is important that we get the right structures and programmes in place so that the sport in India can grow - and this is something AFC can assist with."

Kushal Das welcomed the establishment of a joint taskforce with the AFC, and said: "AIFF is grateful for the welcome and the advice that has been offered by Dato' Windsor John and the AFC team. We look forward to working with them to achieve the best for football in India."

--IANS

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