PANJIM: FC Goa along with six other Indian Super League clubs and Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) will play the inaugural Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) in Goa from April 15 to May 12.
The month-long league will see Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, Jamshedpur FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Mumbai City FC, Hyderabad FC, FC Goa and RFYC will participate in this first of its kind initiative in India that will provide a unique opportunity for emerging players to compete against the best talent in their age group from across the country.
“The added bonus for teams that finish in the top two at the end of the league will be given the chance to participate at the Next Gen Cup to be hosted in the United Kingdom for the first time later this year,” stated the press release issued by Reliance Foundation.
The Next Gen Cup will be hosted by the Premier League (PL) as part of its longstanding partnership with the ISL to support the development of football in India. The top two teams from the RF Development League will be joined by selected PL Club youth teams, providing Indian players the chance to experience playing in the UK and competing against academy sides from the most watched football league in the world. The PL and its clubs will also provide digital knowledge sharing workshops to best support the ISL clubs involved.
Speaking on the development, Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, said, “I am thrilled about this unique opportunity that the Reliance Foundation Development League will offer to young players across the country. They are the future of Indian football, and I am convinced that providing them the platform to play against the best players in their age group will help them grow.”
