Top 10 Football Academies in India | India’s Best Football Academy

By Priyanshu Tiwari on June 29, 2021

Top 10 football academies in India:- India’s football story goes back centuries with the first professional football academy being established as early as the 1970s. The 1950s and early 1960s saw the golden age of Indian football, with several international accolades bagged by the national team. A good coaching institution with adequate facilities and efficient training staff is pivotal for building footballers to becoming professionals.

Top 10 Football Academies in India

In this article, we will look out at the Top 10 football academies in India. To improve football there is many football academies had been established in the 20th century. Top European football clubs have also set up their academies and training institutions in India to capitalize on the growing demand for top football coaching institutions. Here are those academies which are very popular in India and selected players for the India football team.

No.1 AIFF Elite Academy

The AIFF Elite Academy is the Elite Academy of the overall AIFF academies. FIFA gave affiliation to AIFF in the year 1948. AIFF administers the functioning of the Indian National Football Team and it also oversees the I-league, India’s premier domestic football club competition. AIFF has various training institutions spread in different parts of India. The main aim of the academy is to give the best training and equipment to those talented students who want to take up football as a career. The academy not only fosters their talent but also helps them reach a whole new level. It comes On the top of the list of the Top 10 football academies in India.

Founded:- 1937.
Head coach:-Floyd Pinto.
League:- I-League U18.
Headquarter:- New Delhi, India.
Branches:- Goa, Kolkata, Mumbai.

No.2 Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools

The coaches of the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools have been guided and trained by Mr. Steive Grieve, Scottish Football coach. BBFS focuses on the complete overall development of its students through its regular training center and advanced training centers. Emphasis is on complete personality development by providing technical skills, nutrition lessons, and fitness classes. The regular course provides by BBFS consists of intensive training sessions 3 days a week that aims to provide overall development of football skills.

Founded:- 2010.
Head coach:-Vivek Rawat.
League:- I-League U18, Senior division I-league.
Headquarter:- New Delhi, India.
Branches:- Gurgaon Sec45, Gurgaon DLF phase5, Gurgaon Sec52, and so on.
Key people:- Bhaichung Bhutia(Founder)

No.3 Premier India Football Academy

Premier India Football Academy is affiliated with the Mumbai District Football Association(MDFA), Western India Football Association(WIFA), All India Football Federation. The academy has triumphantly supported young athletes so that they can play for their state, country, and abroad also. It is one of the best football academies in India and has produced many national and state-level players in the last few years.

Founded:- 2006.
Head coach:-Khasif Jamal.
League:- MDFA Elite Division I-League 2nd Division.
Headquarter:- Mumbai, India.
Branches:- Gurgaon Sec45, Gurgaon DLF phase5, Gurgaon Sec52, and so on.
Key people:- Nirvan Shah(Chairman), Anjali Shah(Manager).

No.4 TATA Football Academy

Tata Football Academy works on the principle, ‘CATCH THEM YOUNG’ and gives the children the best training with modern techniques, strategies, physical and psychological conditions. The Academy is spread over an area of 25000 square feet and is internationally equipped. It is one of the best football academies in India. The Tata Football Academy is set to be renamed as Tata Altetico Academia. The Academy provides intense training, opportunities for all-around development, together with facilities for formal education and vocational training.

Founded:- 1987.
Head coach:- Carlos Santamarina.
League:- Indian Elite League U-18, Indian Elite League U-15, Indian Elite League U-13.
Headquarter:- Jamshedpur, India.
Branches:- Jamshedpur, Pune, Mumbai.
Key people:- Jamsetji Tata, Dorabji Tata.

No.5 Kolkata Football Academy

Kolkata Football Academy is one of the premier football academies in India. Their objective is to bridge the gap between the enormous talent pool of young footballers, and the nation’s performance at the international stage. KFA also provides non-residential programs for both boys and girls, and students are subjected to multiple selections opportunities, in both domestic and international tournaments. KFA has come up with a residential football academy to provide the right opportunity and platform to a larger number of building players.

Founded:- 15 August 2018.
Head coach:-Deggie Cardozo.
League:- I-League 2nd Division.
Headquarter:- Kolkata, India.
Branches:- Kolkata, West Bengal.
Key people:- Arun Kumar Ghosh(vice President).

No.6 Indian Tigers Football Academy

Indian Tigers Football Academy was founded in 2008 by former Chelsea players- Gareth Hall, David Lee, and Clive Walker. They boast several experienced coaches, both domestic and international, as they believe that a good coaching institute requires infrastructure and people with actual, updated football knowledge, who are ready to work in the same direction with an open mind.

Founded:- 2008.
Head coach:-Gareth Hall.
League:- I-League U-18.
Headquarter:- Mumbai, India.
Branches:- At various locations in Mumbai like Tilak Nagar, Krida Mandal, Chembur.
Key people:- Sherley Singh(chairman).

No.7 DSK Shivajians Academy

English club Liverpool announced a partnership with DSK Shivanjians in India to start their international football academy. This is the first official Liverpool FC coaching program in India. The motive of the player development center is to help kids and teenagers learn to play ” The Liverpool Way” in a safe and fun environment, and play a vital role in improving the player skills with a focus on developing the technical, tactical, physical, mental, and social aspects to their game. The academy boasts great accommodation, a gym, cafeteria, swimming pool, and state-of-the-art football training facilities.

Founded:- 2016.
Head coach:- Dave Rogers.
League:- U-18 Youth League.
Headquarter:- Pune, Maharashtra India.
Branches:- Only in Maharashtra.
Key people:- DSK Group/Liverpool Football Club.

No.8 Barca Academy India

Barca Academy India programs are managed by the Technical Directors from FC Barcelona, who are responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the academy and ensuring that the syllabus of FC Barcelona is coached and incorporate into the training session correctly. Barca Academy provides an exclusive opportunity for players in the age brackets of 5-18 years to learn the methodology and values from the unmatched Barca style and philosophy. There are a total of 49 academies in India.

Founded:- 2012.
Head coach:-Mr. Ajay.
League:- I-League U-18, Senior Division I-League.
Headquarter:- New Delhi, India.
Branches:- 49 Branches in India.
Key people:- Tarun Goyal(head of the Barca).

No.9 Boca Juniors Football School

Boca Juniors Football School India is the only official school from club Atletico Boca Juniors on Indian Soil. BJFSI aims to transfer the success and beliefs of Argentinian football to children aged 6-16 years olds. They offer various programs, including Academy training, Excellence training, Residential training, Intensive Training, School Programs, and training trips to Argentina. Their training program focused on basic skills with a professional learning environment, encouraging students to learn, and practice and master the game’s core skills.

Founded:- 1 Jun 2013.
Head coach:-Derryl Dsouza.
League:-Senior Division I-League, Hero Intercontinental Cup.
Headquarter:- Mumbai, India.
Branches:- The three centers in Mumbai are located in Wadala East, Andheri West, and Ghatkopar West.
Key people:- Jorge Amor Ameal(Chairman), Sebastian Battaglia(Manager).

No.10 Paris-Saint Germain Academy India

Paris Saint Germain Academy India was established by French football giants PSG and has since also expanded its presence to Bengaluru. They host year-long programs, as well as training camps, which aim to provide young footballers with the opportunity to step inside the world of the prestigious club while benefitting from the know-how of its top coaches while offering a unique training methodology tailored to each individuals profile(age, level, etc).