Odisha to host Indian Women's League football, dates to be announced later

Odisha will host the Indian Womens League (IWL), but the dates will be announced later, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said on Sunday.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian football has been trying to restart on-field sporting action. It all started with the I-League qualifiers, followed by the Indian Super League (ISL) and the I-League. ISL and I-League are currently being played.

Indian women's football has also had its fair exposure at the international stage in recent times with the senior India team assembling for a two-month long training camp on December 1 in Goa, followed by three matches in Turkey, against Serbia, Russia and Ukraine.

AIFF appreciated the Odisha government providing its stadia and training facilities to the national teams across age groups, for both men and women, to train.

"Over the years, the tournament [Indian Women's League] has provided the platform for a lot of budding footballers to showcase their talent and provide them the option of taking up football as a career," said AIFF president Praful Patel.

India are scheduled to host the AFC women's Asian Cup next year, which will be followed by the FIFA U-17 women's World Cup, scheduled next year. The IWL will provide an opportunity for the scouts to unearth new talent for the national team.

--IANS

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