Legendary football coach Arsene Wenger will officially open the AIFF-FIFA academy in Bhubaneswar on November 21, as part of FIFA's global football development program. Wenger, currently the head of FIFA's global football development, will be in India from November 19 to 23, engaging with ISL, I-League clubs, and organisations dedicated to youth development in Indian football.
During his tenure as Arsenal's manager from 1996 to 2018, Wenger led the club to three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups, and an impressive unbeaten streak of 49 games. FIFA's talent development scheme aims to collaborate with member associations worldwide to enhance the competitiveness of their national teams.
"Arsene Wenger will be here in India from November 19 to 23. During this period, he and his team will meet ISL, I-League clubs and all those who are involved with youth development in Indian football," said AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey in a release on November 15.
"Our efforts would be to build this academy into a flawless one. We are confident that Wenger's vast experience and keen understanding of things would be of huge help in turning this academy into a world-class facility," he added.
AIFF's acting secretary general, M. Satyanarayan, emphasised that this initiative aligns with the All India Football Federation's long-term vision, focusing on investing in youth development, starting as young as below 14. As part of the project, FIFA has recommended Sergi Amezcua Fontrodona, a FIFA-trained coach, to relocate to India and serve as the head coach at the FIFA-AIFF academy. Amezcua previously played a crucial role in developing football in China as the project director at the Barca Academy Pro Haikou.
Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed happiness at the International Association Football Federation (FIFA) selecting Bhubaneswar as the location for establishing India's inaugural AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy.
Taking to X Patnaik said that the Odisha government is dedicated to providing complete support for the development of the sport.
“We are working in close partnership with All India Football Federation to create the best facilities for our football players,” he added.
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