AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: Kashmir, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Mizoram, Manipur, West Bengal, Goa, Kerala, amongst others. Not just states of India, but footballing states of the Country.

The ongoing U-16 Youth League has representation from 55 Teams from all across the country – some of the representation coming from states for the first time ever. Keeping an eye to spot further talent for the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017, the present edition has seen a rise of 40% in terms of participation alone.

Sunando Dhar, CEO, I-League mentioned the increase in the numbers highlights the “urge among the clubs to perform.”

“Don’t the numbers speak? 55 Teams are participating in the U-16 Youth League which is indeed remarkable. It proves the urge among the clubs and the academies to prove their mettle,” he told www.i-league.org.

Youth teams from all the Hero I-League Clubs and two Hero ISL clubs along with certain academies have thrown their hats into the ring for the silverware across 10 zones.

The teams from every zone are slated to play on a home-away basis among them in the zonal round and 16 teams will qualify to the National Final Round eventually. Those sixteen teams will be divided into four groups and the group champions will qualify for the semi-final which will be followed by the final to decide the U-16 Youth League 2016-17 champions.

The preliminary round kicked off with a double-header on September 24, 2016, when Royal Wahingdoh FC shared the spoils with Rangdajied United FC at the Mawlai Ground and United Sporting Club got the better of Mohammedan Sporting Club in their backyard.

Meanwhile, Minerva Academy FC, champions from the last edition of the Youth League, was clubbed with Youngsters Club, Lonestar Kashmir, Real Kashmir and J&K Bank in the Rest of India (IV) group.