India has 3,41,862 registered football players, 16,295 coaches and 3,347 referees, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has told the Central Information Commission (CIC).
What prompted the release of these official statistics?
The figures were furnished by the football federation in response to an RTI application seeking the number of registered players, coaches and referees in India for the 2015-25 period. The application also sought details of the club-wise number of injuries reported by Indian Super League (ISL) clubs during FIFA international windows in 2024 and 2025.
What information was requested regarding AIFF’s strategic goals and targets?
It sought information on the achieved and unachieved goals under the AIFF Lakshya 2022 document, Target 2026 and AIFF Strategic Target 2019-22, along with reasons for failure to achieve the objectives and steps taken to meet the unachieved targets.
What queries were raised about youth and women’s football development?
The application also sought details of initiatives taken by the federation for the development of youth and women’s football, plans for the senior women’s national team ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, and the priority accorded to the 2027 tournament.
Why did the AIFF decline to provide details on ISL club injuries?
In its response, the federation said the information relating to ISL clubs could not be produced under the RTI Act, which does not require a public information officer to create information or deduce conclusions from material.
What exact breakdown of registered personnel was confirmed by the federation?
The federation, however, provided the registration figures, saying, ‘The total number of registered Players in India is 3,41,862. The total number of registered Coaches in India is 16,295. The total number of registered Referees in India is 3347.’
Why was the case escalated to the Central Information Commission?
The applicant later approached the CIC, alleging that the response was incomplete, false and misleading. The federation maintained that point-wise replies had been provided. In its order, Information Commissioner P R Ramesh held that the queries had been appropriately answered and that permissible information had been supplied.