Football is an increasingly popular sport in India, not only in national tournaments but also in online betting, such as at the Happistar casino. Although cricket remains the most followed sport, football has grown substantially, with ever more spectators.
Through the establishment of new leagues in football, India has evolved from a single sporting nation to a multi-sporting country. One of those leagues is the Indian Super League. Though it has always been popular, the league has gained new strength in recent times. The Super League started in 2014, and after its third season, it was recognised by the AFC as the second national football league. The league is played alongside the I-League,
The Football Federation even created a strategic development plan for this sport that includes points like infrastructure investment, competition-oriented development, more opportunities for women and the use of technology to accelerate growth, among others. Clubs have also been investing in more professional football players, increasing competition and making the games more exciting and enjoyable for the spectators.
In addition, the increased use of smartphones and the availability of more affordable internet is boosting the online consumption of sports content, namely in bookmakers and online casinos like Happistar. There are an increasing number of online views of the sport, especially the major European leagues. Digital usage has also been key to fans’ involvement in promoting new-age sports.
An example of this was the FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by India in October 2017. This was the first time the country hosted a FIFA event and proved to be the most successful cup ever, with a record attendance of 1,347,133 visitors, surpassing China’s 1985 edition of 1,230,976. The U-17 World Cup brought attention to the sport in India and its potential.
This year, India is also the host of the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, the seventh edition of the bi-annual national team youth championship organised by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). The tournament started on October 11 and will end on the 30th of this month, after the 2020 edition was postponed and later cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The country’s football industry proved to have a massive business potential, namely in marketing, broadcasting and sponsorship. The most relevant challenge focuses on a change of idea and approach to grassroots and youth development. An essential element for the successful development of a sports culture in India is a change in the mindset of Indian parents, who previously discouraged their kids from devoting much time to sports.
Currently, India features four major football leagues and has more than ten competitions, including the competitions in which the national team participates in. With an increasing rise in development, football is gaining an ever more prominent role. Although cricket remains the most followed sport in India, whether, in physical competitions or the digital world, more and more people are raving about football, which is not surprising, being that football is the most popular sport in the world!
