AIFF hosts FIFA youth coaches workshops in Bhubaneswar

The AIFF successfully conducted the FIFA Talent Development Scheme Elite Youth Coaches’ and Goalkeeping Coaches’ Workshops in Bhubaneswar. The five-day programme brought together 46 coaches and featured FIFA experts, focusing on talent development, scouting, coaching methodologies and youth football development

Hyderabad: The All India Football Federation successfully hosted the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS) Elite Youth Coaches’ Workshop and Elite Youth Goalkeeping Coaches’ Workshop at the AIFF-FIFA-Odisha Talent Academy in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

The five-day programme brought together 46 coaches from across India working at the national youth and elite club levels. The workshops were conducted as two parallel courses.

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The workshops were delivered by FIFA Technical Expert Stewart Hall (England) and FIFA Goalkeeping Experts Ali Fouad (Qatar) and Fernando Brassard (Portugal), who travelled to India as part of FIFA’s ongoing efforts to support coach education and talent development across its member associations. AIFF Technical Director Syed Sabir Pasha was also present.

The programme combined classroom sessions with on-field practical work, providing participants with exposure to contemporary coaching methodologies and talent development practices.

Key topics covered during the week included modern trends in football, the profile of the player of the future, individual player development, coaching principles, stages of development, playing principles and the role of the elite youth coach within high-performance environments.

A significant component of the workshop focused on talent identification and scouting. Participants explored scouting criteria and talent identification processes, and undertook match observation exercises designed to enhance their ability to recognise and evaluate emerging talent. Reflection sessions and group discussions were also conducted throughout the programme, allowing coaches to analyse practical work and exchange experiences.

The goalkeeping workshop addressed specialised themes, including goalkeeping methodologies, planning and periodisation, stages of goalkeeper development, talent identification for goalkeepers and practical session design. Participants were introduced to structured approaches to goalkeeper development and took part in practical sessions led by FIFA goalkeeping experts.

Across both workshops, coaches engaged in participant-led practical sessions, FIFA educator-led field sessions, group work, classroom discussions and action-planning exercises. The programme concluded with reflection sessions and the formulation of individual action plans aimed at supporting the implementation of learning outcomes within their respective environments.

The hosting of the FIFA TDS Elite Youth Coaches’ Workshops at the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy represents another important step in AIFF’s efforts to strengthen youth development pathways and enhance coaching standards in Indian football through collaboration with FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme. The successful conduct of the programme was made possible with the support of the Government of Odisha, which has also played an important role in establishing Bhubaneswar as a key centre for football development and coach education in the country.