MUMBAI: Tyger Capital has signed a long-term collaboration with India Khelo Football (IKF), a non-profit organization aimed at connecting Indian grassroots talent to the global football ecosystem, for its Pan India Talent Hunt.
This deal, claiming to be one of the most impactful collaborations ever made specifically for scouting in Indian football history at grassroots level, aims to boost IKF’s mission to make talent identification and selections more accessible across India. IKF Trials, the biggest football talent hunt in India, will now be called Tyger IKF Trials for consecutive seasons, including season 4 (ongoing), covering 100 cities for under 13, under-15 and under-17 boys and girls.
Since 2021, IKF has conducted three seasons of national trials, covering over 60+ cities and villages across India, with participation from 17,000+ players. They have scouted over 350+ kids to perform at the national finals, where multiple ISL, I-League, and international academies come together to select and
further train this raw football talent. To date, 100+ players have been shortlisted for further trials by ISL, I-League clubs, and international academies, providing them with a platform to train and enhance their skills. These trials receive participation from kids of all backgrounds, bonding on the field for the love of football.
Some of these kids have shown remarkable achievements. For example, Suren Hansda from Mirudi in Jharkhand was scouted from the IKF National Finals and is currently playing for the FC Madras under-15 team. Other players like Chittransh Bam, Arjun Krishna, Jonathan Jacob are playing with Minerva Academy, FC Madras and Football School of India.
IKF partners with regional football academies, including those accredited by AIFF, to drive successful trials in each city. The scouting process goes through multiple phases with a database of player statistics with up to 25 attributes, easily accessible by scouts and players. Kids can review their performance reports with actionable insights on improving their skills through a unique digital platform.
Commenting on the achievement, Phani Bhushan – director at India Khelo Football, said, “We are thrilled about this partnership with Tyger Capital, marking it as the biggest collaboration made in the Indian football at grassroots level. We are confident that the resources from this partnership will help us
scale our efforts and services for aspiring football talent across the country.
Hitesh Joshi – Strategy & Partnerships head at India Khelo Football further added: “It’s been a remarkable journey, yielding outstanding results for previously unidentified talent pools in India.
“Together, we aim to reinforce our commitment to ‘Aap Khelo Mauka Hum Denge’ shaping India’s football trajectory on the global stage. On behalf of the IKF family, I want to express deep gratitude to Tyger Capital, our teams, regional and international partners, ISL, I-League clubs, the kids, and their
parents, who have enabled our goals with unwavering support.”
Gaurav Gupta, founder, managing director & CEO at Tyger Capital said, “We are delighted about the partnership with India Khelo Football for their National Trials. We are excited to see the road ahead for IKF Season 4 Trials, covering 100 cities across India, and encourage kids and their parents to enroll in the trials with a chance to enhance their football careers. IKF is leveling the field for aspiring football players in India with a structured career path, and we hope that our contribution will provide further impetus to this motive and purpose.”
IKF’s National Finals witness participation from ISL and I-League clubs like Mumbai City FC, Goa FC, Kerala Blasters, Minerva, Sudeva, Delhi FC, Roundglass Punjab, Gokulam Kerala, Jamshedpur FC, etc., including international organizations like, ProSoccerGlobal, Sportsmate 360, Buckswood School UK, IFAPT Portugal, among others. Striving to build a robust grassroots football ecosystem, IKF offers PFSA (Professional Football Scouts Association) certified scouting training programs for players aspiring to become coaches. These trained scouts participate in trials to identify talent for the national finals.
IKF’s international partnerships bring Premier League Academy scouts to India for workshops, conducting technical assessments and providing feedback.
Selected players then showcase their skills to international academies for scholarships. For example, Mongtsu Tungoe from Nagaland received a 100% scholarship to the Steven Gerrard Academy in the UK, Shubham Navelkar received 100% scholarship in IFAPT Portugal alongside others who secured similar opportunities.
