Origin and Growth of Women’s Football in India

Women’s football in India is growing more and more popular day by day. In India, women’s football team was administered by Women's Football Federation of India (WFFI) from 1975 until the early 1990s. Later, it was absorbed into the All India Football Federation (AIFF). This team represents India in women's international football competitions. The women’s football has not had the kind of start as the men’s game has. It has also not seen that kind of expansion in the country as its male counterpart. This may be attributed to the impassive attitude of the AIFF and its inability to raise sufficient funds. The game has its early pioneers in the state of West Bengal. In the India women's football championship, women’s national competition is played on a state vs. state basis.

For the junior teams, there are other national championships such as Junior Girls National Championship (for under 19s) and Under-17 Girls National Championship. In June 2009, the women’s game saw its lowest point, when FIFA delisted the side from world rankings for being inactive for more than 18 months. The aim of the AIFF for women's football from 2014 to 2017 was to improve the ranking of the Indian senior team, start a professional women's league by 2015, and to qualify for U19 as well as U16 versions of the AFC championships. Some of the internationally recognised faces in women’s football are Chitra Gangadharan, Jaanki Kotecha, Sujata Kar, Alpana Sil etc.

By: Anuja Arora