Our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI: Guwahati is going to be the hub of Indian women football shortly courtesy to the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. The gateway of North East is selected as one of the venue for this prestigious event and more important is that Indian team will start their campaign in the competition from this city.
The tournament, which was postponed earlier for COVID-19, will now kick off on February 17 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here. The final is slated for March 7.
Taking this opportunity the Assam Football Association has planned to promote women soccer in the state. At the initial stage priority would be given on the development of women team across the state, arrangement of proper training facilities to the young talent and also to produce women referees.
Talking to The Sentinel the Secretary of the Assam Football Association Hemendra Nath Brahma admitted that the Assam Football Association already chalked out plan to promote women soccer in the state but due to COVID-19 the plan was put off for a while.
"Women World Cup has given us a good opportunity to promote women soccer in the State and we have prepared a plan too. But due to COVID-19 we were not able to materialize it," said Brahma.
He also added: "Once the situation turns normal we would move forward with the proposed plan. Initially we have decided to produce team from different districts. On the other hand we also want to start an academy for our youth women players. However for that we need the help of Government."
Brahma received full support from the Vice President of the Assam Football Association (Head of the Referee) Dipak Dey. According to him it was the right time to promote women soccer in the State.
Talking to The Sentinel Dey said, "Details plan to develop women soccer was chalked out during the early part of this year. Our target is not only to produce quality women footballers but also to promote women referee from the State."
"At present we have many women referees in different districts like Kokrajhar, Goalpara and Nagaon. Two of them will appear in the forthcoming National Referee examination along with their male counterpart which will be held soon ," Dey added.