The world football governing body FIFA has shot off a letter to the All India Football Federation, expressing concern about the proposed Premier Futsal League, which was announced in Mumbai amidst great fanfare by Portuguese football legend Luis Figo.
“FIFA’s head of events, Jaime Yarza, has sent a letter to the AIFF expressing concerns over a non-affiliated group having announced the Futsal League which has not been sanctioned by them,” a source privy to the development told PTI today.
The five a side-a-side Futsal League, which will feature eight city-based franchise teams is slated to happen in July this year.
Figo, who played with distinction for top Spanish sides Barcelona and Real Madrid, will be the president of the first-ever futsal league, started by Indian entrepreneurs under the entity Premier Futsal Management private limited.
It will bring together 56 top Futsal players from 21 countries across the world with each franchise team comprising three international players, one international marquee soccer player and one Indian player.
Each squad would be made up of 12 players.
The League, in association with Futsal Association of India, would also launch a talent programme across the eight cities to identify five regional players of each team.
The eight cities/states having franchise outfits are: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Hyderabad and Goa.
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