Top 10 Best Football Academies in India

India’s football story goes back centuries with the first Indian professional football clubs being established as early as the 1870s. The 1950s and early 1960s saw the golden age of Indian football, with a number of international accolades bagged by the national team, such as two Asian Games Gold Medals in 1951 and 1962, and 4th Place in the 1956 Olympic Games. 

However, the country’s relationship with the beautiful game has gotten sour ever since, with the country failing to keep in sync with the tactical and physical progress made by the rest of the world. The rise of cricket as India's primary sport, loss of mass interest in football, and decades of neglect, saw India's global standing in football plummet in the years to follow. 

Having said that, the last decade has seen a massive resurgence in popularity for the sport, with viewership of both Indian and foreign league football reaching unprecedented levels. This growing popularity of the sport has worked wonders for its development in India, with significant funding and infrastructure development, upgradation of stadiums, and above all, upgradation of football academies in India into modern state-of-the-art learning houses. Further, many top European football clubs have also set up their academies and training facilities across the country to capitalize on the growing demand for top football coaching institutions. A good coaching institution with adequate facilities and efficient training staff is pivotal for budding footballers to becoming professionals. In this article, we look at some of the major football academies in India who are pioneering the development of the sport.

List of Best Football Academies in India

1. Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools

[Image Source: buzzingbubs.com]

Founded by and named after arguably one of Indian football’s greatest captains, Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools provides a world-class platform with the latest coaching methodologies wherein talented young footballers between 5 and 17 years can hone their talent under the right guidance. 

The football academy has coaching centers across 12 different cities in India and organizes domestic and international tours with outstation camps that are very well-organized and give the children an opportunity to focus solely on developing their football and team skills. They also partake in various tournaments across regions which give students real exposure to competitive football.

Fees for regular program: Rs.3500/- per month

For more details, and to register, visit their official website.

2. Premier India Football Academy

[Image Source: pifa.co.in]

Based in Mumbai, PIFA is known as one of the best football academies in India. It operates as a registered company, and has a 2-Star accreditation from AIFF. 

The company has a specific objective – to see India playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. To that effect, PIFA has tied up with the best youth football academies in the world, to capitalize on their technical know-how. They have separate academies for toddlers (under-13) and teenagers (13-18), and provide intense football training for the latter spanning over 36 weeks.

They also have an official football team – PIFA FC, which plays in the Mumbai Football League. Additionally, they have developed a number of programs for students such as:

• Premier Football League (weekend league tournament for children)
• PIFA Champions Tour (camps to Europe)
• PIFA Summer Camps
• Play & Study Abroad Program
• Football scholarship in the US / UK

For more details, and to register, visit their official website.

3. TATA Football Academy

[Image Source: i-league.org]

TATA Football Academy (TFA) is a truly world class football academy spread over 25,000 sqft and capacity to accommodate up to 40 trainees. 

Their objective is to nurture and train budding footballers in the most scientific way with the sole purpose of improving the standard of Indian Football and be a nursery for producing outstanding players for the Indian National Team. Their ‘CATCH THEM YOUNG’ strategy provides children the best in terms of training with modern techniques, tactics, physical and psychological conditioning and related inputs.

Their flagship offering is the fully residential program, which includes special features such as boarding and lodging, monthly stipend, playing kits, summer and winter clothing, ceremonial kits, comprehensive medical care, and education.

For more details, and to register, visit their official website.

4. Kolkata Football Academy

[Image Source: justdial.com]

Kolkata Football Academy (KFA), 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. 

For this, KFA has come up with a residential football academy to provide the right opportunity and platform to a larger number of budding players. In addition to state-of-the-art infrastructure, experienced & national level coaches, and excellent ambiance, KFA’s students square up on the weekends with top national and local clubs. KFA also provides non-residential programs for both boys and girls, and students are subjected to multiple selection opportunities, in both domestic and international tournaments.

For fees structure, more details and to register, visit their official website.

5. Indian Tigers Football Academy

[Image Source: indiantigersfootballacademy.blogspot.com]

Indian Tigers Football Academy (ITFA) was founded in 2008 by former Chelsea players – Gareth Hall, David Lee, and Clive Walker – who are part of the institute’s advisory board. They boast a number of experienced coaches, both domestic and international, as they believe that a good coaching institute not only requires infrastructure, but also people with actual, updated football knowledge, who are ready to work in the same direction with an open mind.

They are known to host training camps for both kids and teenagers, school training programs, and competitive tournaments – all of which contribute to skill development of students.For more details, and to register, visit their official website.

6. DSK Shivajians Academy

[Image Source: sportskeeda.com]

Founded in 2016 as a joint partnership between Liverpool FC and DSK Shivajians FC in Pune, this is the first official Liverpool FC coaching program in India. The motive of the Player Development Centre 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 players' skills with a focus on developing the technical, tactical, physical, mental and social aspects of their game. The academy boasts great accommodation, gym, cafeteria, swimming pool and state-of-the-art football training facilities.

For more details, and to register, visit their official website. 

Or contact at: +91 20 66784186

7. Barça Academy India

[Image Source: conscientfootball.com]

Located in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru, Barca Academy is the official FC Barcelona Football School, which provides an exclusive opportunity for players in the age bracket of 5-18 years to learn the methodology and values from the unmatched Barça style and philosophy. 

Barça Academy India programs are managed by 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 incorporated into the training sessions correctly. They also plan training program to specifically suit and cater to our players of different ages. The players are given exposure to various internal, domestic and international tournaments, and talented players who are able to compete high levels start playing professionally and graduate to be picked up by other clubs.

For more details, and to register, visit their official website.

8. Boca Juniors Football School

[Image Source: bocajuniorsindia.com]

Established in 2013 in Bengaluru, by the Argentine football club responsible for producing many great players and legends of the game, such as Diego Maradona, Gabriel Bautista, and Joan Roman Riquelme, the football academy further expanded to Mumbai in 2016, in an attempt to reach out to more children in India. 

They offer a variety of programs aimed at children aged 6–17 years old, including Academy Training, Excellence Training, Residential Training, Intensive Training, School Programs, and Training Trips to Argentina. Their training programs focus on basic skills with a professional learning environment, encourage students to learn, practice and master the core skills of the game, and learn age appropriate skills in a progressive manner.

For more details, and to register, visit their official website.

9. Paris Saint-Germain Academy India

[Image Source: psgfootballacademy.in]

PSG Academy India was established in Delhi-NCR in 2014, by French football giants PSG, and has since also expanded their 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 individual’s profile (age, level etc.).

Term Fees: Rs. 19,000 + Registration fee

For more details, and to register, visit their official website.

10. Arsenal Soccer Schools India

[Image Source: findurclass.com]

English giants Arsenal FC opened their first coaching center in Delhi in June 2013, and have since increased their presence to five other states namely, Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and Maharashtra. The programs aim to provide all-round training and conditioning to children aged 5-17. 

According to the club, its partnership with India on Track will allow it to develop grassroots football in India while also giving it a way to connect with its fanbase. As part of the deal, India on Track will “commit substantial and sustained funding” in order to improve existing sports facilities at Indian schools while also opening a “significant number of centres” throughout the country.

For more details, and to register, visit their official website.

This is our list of the top 10 best football Academies in India.

1. Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools

2. Premier India Football Academy

3. TATA Football Academy

4. Kolkata Football Academy

5. Indian Tigers Football Academy

6. DSK Shivajians Academy

7. Barça Academy India

8. Boca Juniors Football School

9. Paris Saint-Germain Academy India

10. Arsenal Soccer Schools India

- By Suvradip Mukherjee