World Cup kicks off, football yet to find footing in Chd

Chandigarh: Every four years, the FIFA World Cup grips fans worldwide. In Chandigarh, however, football remains on the margins, overshadowed by cricket’s enduring popularity.Coaches and former players say the reasons go beyond lack of interest, pointing to weak grassroots structures, limited competitive exposure, poor local representation and low commercial traction.Former Asian Youth Championship (1974) gold medallist

Harjinder Singh

said football struggles against cricket’s deep emotional appeal. Coach

Bhupinder Singh

echoed this: “If India were in the World Cup, viewership would rise due to national pride. Otherwise, many tune in only from the knockout stages.”The city’s infrastructure is not entirely absent. The Chandigarh Football Academy, set up in 2000, was once a key pipeline. “Earlier, almost every batch had a national-level player.

Now, that’s rare,” Harjinder Singh said, pointing to gaps in sustained investment and structured pathways.Stakeholders agree the sport’s future hinges on grassroots participation. Harjinder Singh stressed that football must first thrive in schools, neighbourhoods and local clubs.Limited pathways for local players remain a concern. While academies often recruit from football-strong regions like Manipur, experts say Chandigarh’s own talent needs greater visibility.

“Local role models are crucial to building a football culture,” he said.Having served as AIFF head scout, Harjinder Singh underlined the role of associations in organising leagues, scouting talent and ensuring regular competition—areas where gaps persist.Coaches also point to the contrast with cricket’s year-round calendar across school, district and club levels, which sustains visibility and player development.

Football lacks a similar frequency of organised competition.The World Cup’s muted footprint is also visible commercially. Many restaurants have skipped screenings, citing late-night fixtures, unlike cricket events that align with prime-time viewing. Retailers report limited merchandise demand, with spikes typically seen only in the later stages as fans rally around finalists or global stars rather than following teams from the start.