Premier Futsal, on Tuesday, announced that the second season of the football league will be played in the first quarter of 2017 with eight franchises participating across four cities.
The Premier Futsal management also expressed how it had learned from the feedback received in the first season and how it plans to host the league bi-annually from next year onwards.
Premier Futsal’s first season was held earlier this year and saw former football stars Ronaldinho (who was later replaced by Cafu), Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, Hernan Crespo and Michel Salgado play in the tournament.
“We managed to get the biggest marquee players to our country for Premier Futsal and the fans in the stadium and those watching it on TV thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We are confident about what we are doing and therefore have decided to make Premier Futsal a bi-annual property,” said Xavier Britto, chairman of Premier Futsal.
“Riding on the success of Season One, we will go back to our plan of playing with 8 franchises and all the international futsallers will go under the hammer for Season Two. We will be announcing the processes and auction dates over the course of the next one month,” said a release sent out by the team.
Players free to play AIFF events
Premier Futsal managing director Dinesh Raj also clarified that players representing the eight franchise squads were free to play in tournaments organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Football players, state associations and clubs have been instructed against taking part in the futsal competition.
He said: “Players involved with Premier Futsal know where they stand. We have no objection to their participation in AIFF-organised tournaments. Regarding the federation’s stand on Premier Futsal, we have nothing to say.”
“Support from the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports is positive and encouraging. The Ministry is aware about our effort to promote futsal talent across the nation,” added Xavier Britto.
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