Director General of Police (DGP)of Telangana, CV Anand, a sports aficionado, writes a special column for Deccan Mirror reflecting on the steps needed to ensure that our Indian football team plays in the FIFA World Cup in the coming years.
“Many think that India has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. However, we did qualify in 1950 after countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia withdrew from the competition. But citing financial constraints, just like the countries that withdrew, we too did not go to Brazil to play. This raises the question today: Are there financial incentives for playing football in India as of now? Is the infrastructure fully up to the mark?
Despite certain constructive steps, sports culture has not fully evolved in our country.
The middle-class thinking that education alone would secure a livelihood runs through the society. I have personally experienced the insecurity of getting involved in sports (cricket) and planning to play for the country, because the looming financial insecurity of joblessness made me write the civil services exam (UPSC) and join the Indian Police Service (IPS) despite playing up to the Senior State level.
Evidently, financial security has to be ensured when you succeed in any sport, not just cricket. Alongside providing financial security, the Football Association of India (All India Football Federation – AIFF) has to sort out its issues and dedicate itself to spotting talent at the ground level.
For example, ‘Khelo India’ prominently features football, and a great deal of talent can be spotted at these games. This is a development to be welcomed, but we can capitalize more on this. How? These games are held at the national level, and once a year. Instead, they can consider conducting tournaments at both the state and national level for different age groups at regular intervals, and letting players shine and hone their skills further.
Then the football association can identify promising players into special dedicated academies and look after their education and future financial security. After all, without a promising future, even talented players might not show full interest in the sports that they are good at.
We definitely require sponsorships for players, and sponsors have to come forward and adopt players/teams. This will serve the interests of sponsors once the talent they’ve adopted has achieved results.
Also, some states have adopted some sports. Odisha adopted Hockey. Similarly, Telangana and other states can consider adopting football. Football great Lionel Messi visited India in 2025 and toured Telangana as well. Such visits definitely encourage the sport and must be utilized fully by our football association.
The fact that cricket is the most popular sport in India doesn’t have to discourage other sports. There is ample space for all sports in our country. The moment there is equal encouragement for all sports, we will see many aspiring players coming forward.
We have seen in the past that when Sania Mirza did well, there was a countrywide rush to tennis academies, and when Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu did well, a similar rush was seen at badminton academies by hopeful parents. But what they don’t know at that stage is that it is a long and arduous journey for both the athlete and the parents to have stuck to the cause, emptied their bank accounts, and sacrificed family life for that day when their child stood on the medal podium. It is here that sponsors, associations, and the sports ministry have to chip in to keep the football players committed and continue from childhood into their teens and adulthood till they take the team to the FIFA World Cup.”