Sunil Chhetri's Vision for Boosting Indian Football's Popularity

Sunil Chhetri, former Indian football captain, emphasizes the challenge of converting cricket fans to football enthusiasts. He highlights India's vast potential as a market for world football. Chhetri suggests focusing on engaging existing global football fans in India to increase domestic football's popularity, hoping to replicate international success locally.

Former Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri has shed light on the challenges of elevating Indian football's popularity, emphasizing the difficulty of converting cricket fans to football aficionados due to the fundamental differences between the two sports.

Speaking to ANI, Chhetri highlighted the immense potential for growth in Indian football by capitalizing on the existing fans of international leagues. He suggested that tremendous gains could be made by engaging viewers who follow global football, particularly given that India and China are among the largest markets worldwide.

Chhetri, who announced his retirement in 2024, played his final match for India against Kuwait in a World Cup Qualifier. As a revered figure with a track record of international triumphs and prestigious awards, including the Khel Ratna, he offered valuable insights on redirecting attention to domestic games to boost the sport's profile in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)