NEW DELHI: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, alongside FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger, inaugurated the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium on Tuesday.
The academy is set to train a total of 50 under-14 football players, with 15 hailing from Odisha, selected from various parts of the country. A FIFA-appointed coach will lead the academy's operations, as per officials.
"Football is a popular game in India, especially among the younger generation. There is a lot of talent in football in India and with proper coaching facilities, our team can perform very well in the future," Patnaik said.
"I am happy that we are able to partner with FIFA and AIFF to create such an academy. Odisha will support football projects and work in close collaboration with AIFF for football promotion in India," he said.
The inauguration took place concurrently with the 2026 FIFA World Cup second-round qualifiers clash between India and Qatar. Unfortunately, India faced a formidable challenge, succumbing to a 0-3 defeat against the dominant Asian champions, Qatar.
In attendance at the ceremony were State Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera, All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Kalyan Chaubey, and Chief Secretary PK Jena.
(With PTI inputs)
