J&K Sports Council expands football vision

Srinagar, May 17: The Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council on Sunday executed a landmark twin-venue day of the Kashmir Champions Football League (KCFL) trials, conducting simultaneous selections at the Synthetic Turf Football Stadium, Tourist Reception Centre (TRC), Srinagar, and Play Field Gogoo, Rangreth, Budgam, drawing hundreds of aspiring footballers and completing the first phase of one of the most ambitious grassroots football drives in Kashmir’s history.

As per a statement issued, adding major national significance to the initiative, Naushad Moosa, Technical Director of NorthEast United FC and Head Coach of the India U-23 National Football Team arrived in Srinagar ahead of the club’s historic open selection trials being conducted in collaboration with the J&K Sports Council.

For the first time ever, an Indian Super League club is conducting open football trials in Jammu & Kashmir, offering local players direct exposure to the professional Indian football ecosystem.

Speaking on the occasion, Naushad Moosa praised the football culture of the Valley and described Kashmir as one of India’s richest untapped football regions.

“Kashmir has passionate, naturally gifted players who are ready for the national stage. What has been missing is the right platform, the right exposure, and the right league structure,” he said.

“The Kashmir Champions Football League is exactly that. For years, talent in this region went unnoticed. That changes now. KCFL gives young footballers in J&K a structured, government-backed pathway into competitive Indian football. The talent was always here. The opportunity is now,” Moosa added.

The upcoming NorthEast United FC trials at the TRC Synthetic Turf Ground, Srinagar, scheduled for May 18, have generated enormous excitement among young footballers across the Valley. The selections will be conducted for U-18 and U-21 categories, creating a rare opportunity for Kashmiri players to directly showcase their abilities before one of Indian football’s premier professional clubs.

Launched on May 13 at Ganderbal, where participation exceeded all projections, the KCFL trial caravan has since moved through Bandipora and Shopian before reaching dual-city climax in Srinagar and Budgam. At the iconic TRC Synthetic Turf Stadium, a FIFA-guideline-compliant venue and home ground of Real Kashmir FC during its I-League campaigns, players underwent structured assessments in technical ability, tactical awareness, physical conditioning, and competitive temperament under the supervision of qualified selectors.

Simultaneously, Play Field Gogoo, Rangreth, Budgam witnessed equal intensity, with local spectators thronging the sidelines throughout the day. By decentralising the trials and taking them directly to district venues, the J&K Sports Council ensured that talented footballers from Central Kashmir would not be disadvantaged by geography or access.

The KCFL is far more than a football competition. It serves as a major pillar of the Government of Jammu & Kashmir’s 100-Day Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyaan, which uses sports as a frontline instrument in combating drug abuse and social vulnerability among youth. The Sports Council believes sustained sporting engagement builds discipline, confidence, teamwork, and purpose, values that act as a powerful shield against substance abuse.

What distinguishes the KCFL from previous initiatives is its long-term developmental vision.

Football activity formed part of a wider sporting surge across Jammu & Kashmir, while the Karate Championship 2026 was inaugurated at the Indoor Sports Hall, Polo Ground, Srinagar, in the presence of JKSC Secretary Nuzhat Gull.

The South Kashmir Volleyball League 2026 concluded successfully at Batapora Stadium, Shopian after four days of competition featuring six district teams.

Together, these initiatives signal a transformative moment in Jammu & Kashmir sport, a shift from isolated tournaments toward a sustained, year-round sporting culture rooted in grassroots development, youth empowerment, professional pathways, and a drug-free future for the region.