football

Association football was introduced to India during the British occupation and in some areas of the country it is equally as popular as Cricket. India was an Asian powerhouse in the 1960s, finishing as runners up in the 1964 AFC Asian Cup, but gradually the standard of Football has gone down compared to other countries and India currently ranks 144 in the FIFA rankings as of 20 August 2010. The sport is, nevertheless, widely popular both as a spectator Sport and as a participation Sport and is controlled by the national team. The Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata is the second largest non-auto racing stadium in the world.

On the 23 June 1937 at the Army Headquarters, Shimla, the All India Football Federation was formed at a meeting of the representatives of Football Associations of 6 regions where the game was very popular in those days. It is the present body of Football in India.