Goa to host the inaugural edition of Reliance Foundation Development League from April 15

The maiden edition of the Reliance Foundation Development League will be played in South Goa, from April 15 to May 12 this year. Seven Indian Super League (ISL) football clubs, including Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, FC Goa, Jamshedpur FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Mumbai City FC and Hyderabad FC have confirmed their participation in the tournament. These seven football clubs will be joined by a team from Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC). The teams are expected to arrive in Goa by April 12 and train for the next two days before the tournament commences.

Each team to play 7 league games

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The RF Development League will be played on a single round-robin basis, wherein each team will play a single match against each participating football club, rounding about 7 games in total. The matches will be held at two grounds in South Goa, with three training grounds available to the teams to prepare for their encounters. To ensure playing standards are maintained, the schedule will permit two full days of rest between games and a four-day window of no matches halfway through the competition.

The top two teams from the RF Development League will be joined by selected PL Club youth teams, providing Indian players with the exposure to experience playing in the UK, against academy sides from the most-watched football league in the world. The PL and its clubs will also provide digital knowledge, sharing workshops to best support the ISL clubs involved.

“This league is yet another step towards creating a world-class ecosystem to develop the tremendous potential for football in India,” said Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita Ambani.

The fundamentals of RF Development League Teams

The RF Development League has specified the age and number of participants who can legitimately take part in the championship.

Each club can travel to Goa with a maximum of 24 players but foreign nationals can not be included in their squads, reports confirmed. It may be noted here that only those players who are born on or after January 1, 2001 will be eligible to participate in the league, however, each club is granted permission to include up to five players born on or after January 1, 1999 in their squads. No more than three such players will be permitted to be part of the playing XI at all times.

- with agency inputs