In a move to bolster India’s football prowess and provide a global platform for budding talents, News9, the English news brand of TV9 Network, announced the launch of ‘Indian Tigers & Tigresses’, which, it said, is the most extensive football talent hunt ever, targeting boys and girls under the age of 14.

The initiative — unveiled amidst esteemed figures from German football, including Kay Dammholz from the German Football Association (DFB), Peter Leible of Bundesliga, and other notable personalities — aims to identify, nurture, and showcase India’s finest football talents, a media statement from TV9 Network stated yesterday.

Partnerships with prestigious organizations such as DFB, the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund and others highlight the ambition to provide a pathway for young Indian footballers onto the global stage, the news company said.

TV9 Network MD & CEO Barun Das, while expressing his pride in the initiative, emphasized the importance of providing equal opportunities for talented youngsters and nurturing them into world-class players from a young age.

The talent hunt, set to run from April to July, will be extensively promoted across TV9 Network platforms, potentially reaching an audience of over 220 crore viewers nationwide. With over 100 million unique users, TV9 Digital will also play a pivotal role in amplifying the initiative across its multi-lingual platforms.

Peter Leible, Senior Advisor of Bundesliga, hailed the initiative as a convergence of innovation and opportunity, poised to redefine the future of soccer in India. European football scouts will evaluate registrations, and selected candidates will undergo scouting at various venues across India by the end of June.

The journey continues with a Football Training Camp scheduled for July, where promising youngsters will refine their skills under expert guidance. The initiative expects a staggering two million applications from over 50,000 schools nationwide, reflecting the immense interest and potential in Indian football.

Following a rigorous selection process in July and August, 20 players and 20 standbys will embark on a journey to Austria and Germany for international exposure, including participation in friendly matches. The pinnacle of this transformative initiative will be the felicitation of 40 winning boys and girls at Germany’s Supercup final on August 17, 2024, before an audience of 65,000 fervent fans.

In a LinkedIn post, Das, while stating that as India’s largest news network, it was a responsibility to “serve as catalysts for positive social change”, aptly summed up the initiative by observing: “It’s time to level the playing field.”