AIFF Trains 46 Coaches at FIFA Youth Workshops in Bhubaneswar

The All India Football Federation successfully conducted a five-day training programme for youth football coaches at the AIFF-FIFA-Odisha Talent Academy in Bhubaneswar. The event, which concluded around June 13, 2026, brought together 46 coaches from across India to enhance youth football development under the guidance of international FIFA experts.

The programme comprised two parallel courses: the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS) Elite Youth Coaches’ Workshop and the Elite Youth Goalkeeping Coaches’ Workshop. The participating coaches currently work at the national youth and elite club levels.

The workshops were delivered by FIFA Technical Expert Stewart Hall from England, alongside FIFA Goalkeeping Experts Ali Fouad from Qatar and Fernando Brassard from Portugal. AIFF Technical Director Syed Sabir Pasha was also present to oversee the sessions.

The curriculum combined classroom theory with on-field practical work to provide participants with exposure to contemporary coaching methodologies. Key topics covered modern trends in football, the profile of the player of the future, individual player development, coaching principles, stages of development, and the role of the elite youth coach within high-performance environments.

A major focus of the workshop was talent identification and scouting. Coaches explored scouting criteria and undertook match observation exercises to enhance their ability to evaluate emerging talent. Reflection sessions and group discussions allowed coaches to exchange experiences and analyse practical work.

Meanwhile, the goalkeeping workshop addressed specialised themes such as goalkeeping methodologies, planning, periodisation, stages of goalkeeper development, and talent identification for goalkeepers. Participants engaged in participant-led practical sessions, FIFA educator-led field sessions, group work, and action-planning exercises.

The programme concluded with reflection sessions and the formulation of individual action plans to help coaches implement their new knowledge in their respective home environments. The event was supported by the Government of Odisha.