AFC Executive Committee give green light for Indian football roadmap

Staff Writer
The AFC

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee meeting for the first time in Vietnam today endorsed the roadmap for Indian football as a plan to grow the sport in the world’s second biggest country.
The endorsement comes shortly after the AFC held a summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 14 and involved representatives of both the Indian Super League (ISL) and the I-League as well as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and IMG-Reliance.

The roadmap for the reform process is for the club game in the country – with the ISL being recognised as the top league in India starting from this 2019-2020 season.

The ISL League winners would also be entitled to a play-off place in the AFC Champions League and the I-League champions would take a place in the AFC Cup in ‘a package that takes into consideration the recommendations of the FIFA/AFC report of 2017.’

The AFC Executive Committee, at their meeting in Da Nang, noted the impressive start for the ISL in Kochi on Friday where the TV audience doubled after the game was shown in seven languages on 20 channels across the nation.

Following the AFC Executive Committee decision, the roadmap includes:

• In season 2019-20, the ISL will attain the status of premiere league competition in Indian football.

• The AFC will allow the winning ISL club to represent India in the AFC Champions League play-offs, and the I-League winner will get to play in the AFC Cup play-off.

• Another key recommendation by the AFC is to open a pathway for two I-League clubs’ entry into the ISL by the end of the 2020-21 season, subject to the criteria being fulfilled.

• In addition, starting with the 2022-23 and 2023-2024 season, the winner of the I-League will stand a chance to be promoted to the ISL with no participation fee, basis fulfilling sporting merit and the national club licensing criteria to be set out by the AIFF. There will be no relegation in the ISL at this time.

• In its recommendation for 2024-25, it is agreed to fully implement promotion and relegation into the top league, and abolition of two parallel leagues.

The document will now be distributed to all stakeholders for their information and future reference.

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Mapping the Future: GIS Innovation Takes Off in Australia

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Image credit: Global Institute of Sport

Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is expanding its influence in the Asia-Pacific, in particular, Australia where they have already made significant progress and will be opening a brand new campus.

GIS is a leader in sports education, offering innovative online and in-person courses at campuses and iconic sports venues around the world, including the likes of Wembley Stadium in London, Chase Stadium in Miami, and Melbourne’s MCG.

But it’s Australia where GIS is now focusing its attention and they’ve already made some big strides.

In episode four of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch podcast, Asia-Pacific Regional Director Ray Boggiano spoke about the progress GIS has made in Australia so far.

“We’ve had the MCG partnership since 2019, so we’ve been doing our first summit, so study tour was in January 2020, we had a couple of virtual ones in between and then we brought our students back for the last couple of years as well,” he said in the podcast.

“From last year we started doing these residentials, so we have various sites, the MCG, Darebin, our partner clubs like Preston, they’re signed off as sites that we can deliver for face-to-face teaching for our British programs.”

Additionally, Boggiano spoke about the new GIS campus opening in Australia next year.

“Our vision and something that’s very soon to be realised is to have a sports campus in Australia,” he said.

“We will be opening the doors to our Sydney campus next year so our first intake will be in January 2026.

“The partnership is with the University of Newcastle, but it’s with their Sydney CBD campus, and also in partnership with Venus NSW, so very pleased to be able to use the Allianz Stadium and the SCG as well, so we’ve got access to two incredible stadiums.”

Boggiano also added that the new campus will be taking applications as soon as this month and highlighted the importance of Australia to GIS.

“We will be starting to take applications likely from April this year and the first intake will be January 2026, so this is a major milestone for us,” he said.

“We have always had Australia central to our strategy, it is really a vibrate sports economy, sports market, and sports industry.

“Over the next ten years that’s only going in one direction with obviously the build-up Brisbane games in 2032.”

The new campus will offer a wide range of degrees and industry-focused programs designed to give students the skills they need to succeed in the global sports industry.

To hear and learn more about GIS, you can listen to the full interview with Ray Boggiano on episode four of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch Podcast, available on all major podcasting apps and here.

Football Queensland Forms Regional Partnership with McDonald’s

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Image Credit: Football Queensland Facebook

Football Queensland (FQ) is excited to announce McDonald’s as the Official Quick Service Restaurant Partner for the Far North & Gulf region.

Under the two-year regional collaboration, McDonald’s will take on naming rights to the home of football in Cairns, with Endeavour Park now officially named Macca’s Park.

The partnership also includes support for grassroots football, with McDonald’s backing local clubs and celebrating junior players across the Far North and Gulf through the weekly MiniRoos Player of the Week voucher initiative.

FQ General Manager – Northern Conference, Craig Ramage, said the partnership was a major win for the region, highlighting FQ’s continued focus on growing the game in regional Queensland.

“This is an exciting opportunity to partner with an iconic brand in McDonald’s, whose long-standing support of community football aligns strongly with our vision for the game across the state,” he said via press release.

“We’re proud to extend this relationship into the Far North & Gulf, with the support from McDonald’s set to deliver direct benefits to grassroots programs, local clubs and junior players right across the region.

“The renaming of Endeavour Park to Macca’s Park is a powerful symbol of this partnership and our shared commitment to creating vibrant and welcoming regional football hubs that inspire the next generation of participants and bring communities together.”

McDonalds Far North Queensland Marketing Manager Jill Lennox, expressed that the partnership reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting active lifestyles and local communities through sport.

“Active lives are happier and healthier lives. McDonald’s wants to deliver valuable benefits to the wider community. With the goal of helping people live a more balanced, active and enriched lifestyle, McDonald’s is passionate about its sports and community sponsorships program,” she said via press release.

“McDonald’s is very proud to be the naming rights sponsor to the home of football in Cairns now known as Macca’s Park. This partnership is our way of giving back to the community which supports us and to assist in the development of important life skills such as commitment, hard work, and friendship.

“On behalf of McDonald’s, we would like to thank all competitors, parents, organisers, volunteers and other sponsors for their incredible support of Football Far North and Gulf region and we look forward to seeing you at Macca’s Park soon.”

This alliance marks an exciting chapter for football in the Far North & Gulf, as Football Queensland and McDonald’s work together to support the growth of the game across the region.

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