Plans finalised for Indian football headquarters

The All India Football Federation on Monday finalised plans to build its headquarters - 'Football House' - in Delhi and set up a training centre and hostel in Bangalore.

The headquarters, for which a half acre plot in Dwarka in west Delhi has been identified, will be built with $400,000 coming from FIFA under the 'Goal Project' whereas the funds for the training centre and hostel will come from FIFA's annual grants to the AIFF - $250,000 a year - of which two instalments are due.

The training centre and hostel will come up alongside the football stadium at Ashok Nagar in Bangalore which is owned by the Karnataka Football Association.

AIFF president Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi on Monday submitted the proposals to V Manilal Fernando, vice-president, Asian Football Confederation and FIFA Goal Project Development Officer, who inspected the sites in Delhi and Bangalore.

"I will be favourably recommending to the FIFA," said Fernando, who will submit the proposal to FIFA for final approval.

Fernando, who inspected the sites during the last three days, has agreed to the feasibility of the plans.

"We are submitting the proposal to the government within 48 hours to allot us half acre of land for the headquarters. The site near the international airport is in possesion of the Delhi Development Authority," Dasmunsi said.

The federation will further ask the DDA to develop facilities to build a National Football Academy and a bigger training ground at DDA's cost.