Legendary coach Arsene Wenger, who currently serves as the FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, is scheduled to travel to India in the second week of October. His main objective is to finalize the establishment of a central academy in the country, as confirmed by the President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Kalyan Chaubey, on Saturday.

This collaborative effort between FIFA and AIFF aims to create an academy specifically designed for boys and girls under the age of 13. “I am pleased to announce that we are close to setting up a state-of-the-art centralized academy in India, in partnership with FIFA, with Mr. Arsène Wenger playing a pivotal role in the entire operation,” stated Chaubey in a press release from the AIFF. “I am confident that with his experience and our hard work, we can pave the way for India to produce future stars.”

Chaubey and AIFF Secretary General Shaji Prabhakaran met with Wenger, FIFA Technical Director Steven Martens, and Head of High-Performance Programs Ulf Schott in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday.

The academy will not operate independently, but rather be supported by around four or five other feeder academies, forming a network, according to the AIFF.

Wenger is expected to formally announce this initiative via a virtual press conference in September. Following the announcement, he will travel to India in the second week of October to work on additional details of the proposed academy, Chaubey revealed.

“The U-13 Youth League and Sub-Junior National Championships will play a crucial role in identifying talent and establishing the academies. We aim to provide more opportunities for our member associations and young players to prepare for state-level trials. This will enable each state association to field their best possible team for the U-13 Youth League,” stated Chaubey.

Prabhakaran expressed confidence that Wenger’s involvement will have a significant impact on the development of elite players in India.