Reliance Foundation Development League to kick off on April 15; 7 ISL clubs to participate

In India's unique high-level football competition, the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) will get its inaugural season underway on April 15. The tournament is set to run for a month, with the final being played on May 12. Seven clubs from the prestigious Indian Super League (ISL) will participate in it, along with another side.

Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, FC Goa, Jamshedpur FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Mumbai City FC and Hyderabad FC are the seven ISL sides confirmed to participate in the RFDL. The main reason for introducing the competition is to deliver a unique prospect for the emerging players to compete against the best talents from across the country. It will also allow the top two teams from the tournament to partake in the NextGen Cup, hosting its maiden season in the United Kingdom (UK) this year.

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A release from Reliance read, "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 with 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."

Meanwhile, players born on or after January 1, 2001, will be allowed to participate in the RFDL. Each team will have five such players in their squads, while a maximum of three such players can be a part of the playing XI. While a club can travel to Goa with a maximum of 24 players, overseas players will not participate in this tournament.

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Speaking on the RFDL, Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita Ambani 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 with the platform to play against the best players in their age group will help them grow. This league is yet another step towards creating a world-class ecosystem to develop the tremendous potential for football in India. As we emerge from the pandemic, I am sure the youngsters will cherish the chance to get back on the field and show us their talent."

Further adding in its release, it said, "The Reliance Foundation Development League will be played on a single round-robin basis, allowing each team to feature in seven matches. The schedule will permit two full days of rest between games and a four-day window of no matches halfway through the competition to ensure playing standards are maintained. The games will be played at two grounds in South Goa, with three training grounds available to the teams to prepare for their encounters. The units are expected to arrive in Goa by April 12 and train for the next two days before the tournament."

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"The league is another significant step in Reliance Foundation's unwavering commitment towards building the country's sporting ecosystem by supporting young athletes on every step of their journey from identifying talent to honing their skills by providing world-class infrastructure, sports science, and coaching. During the ISL season, Reliance Foundation offers significant resources to each club to support its youth development programmes. The Reliance Foundation Development League is another critical step toward the long term vision of making India a world-beating footballing force in the years to come," it concluded.

• Reliance Foundation Development League
• indian super league
• isl
• rfdl
• nita ambani