AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: The FIFA Coach Mentorship Programme 2026-27, aimed at developing and empowering women coaches through structured mentorship and continuous learning, kicked off at the Centre for Sports Excellence (CSE) in Bengaluru on Monday, September 21, 2026.

The programme, led by AIFF Head of Coach Development Vivek Nagul, is designed to provide women coaches with sustained professional development, practical experiences and opportunities to learn from experienced mentors. The initiative seeks to strengthen the coaching pathway for women in India by helping participants translate their coaching knowledge into effective practical application, improve decision-making and develop leadership capabilities.

The inaugural module, which is being conducted from September 21 to 25, focuses on technical and tactical coaching, leadership, and self-development. The programme will run across six modules. The first and final modules will be five days each, while Modules two to five will run over two days each in November, December, January, and February. The first phase of the programme will conclude with the final module in March 2027.

In the second phase, online and on-site workshops will be conducted for C and D Licence women coaches, with an expected 20 batches across India and an aim to reach 350-400 coaches.

As part of their Coach Mentorship assignment, the 11 mentees will each be assigned one batch of a minimum of 15 coaches. They will conduct the online and on-site workshops under the supervision and guidance of their respective mentors.

The overall duration of the project, including Phase 1 and Phase 2, will be approximately 9 to 12 months.

The four mentors for the first module of the programme are Jeddy Almeida, Shakti Chauhan, Shekar Kerkar, and Yan Law, while the participating coaches are Felcina Miranda, Indu Sharma, Kala Venkidusamy, Karishma Vazirani, Kusum Shaikh, Maymol Rocky, Michel Castanha, Nivetha Ramadoss, Priyanka Kangralkar, Rutuja Gunwant and Sanaya Anklesaria.

Ms Chitra Gangadharan, former India international and AIFF Women's Committee member, and Mr Ved Kumar, Managing Director, Centre for Sports Excellence, Bengaluru, were present on the opening day.

As part of the mentorship framework, each participant will be assigned an AIFF mentor who will conduct one-to-one mentoring sessions after each module, review practical coaching videos and provide structured feedback, support individual goal-setting and development planning, and facilitate peer-learning sessions and online discussions. Participants will also be monitored through reflective journals and assignments, with mentors providing guidance on coaching and leadership challenges.

The programme also includes at least one planned personal visit to each mentee’s location by the assigned mentor or Mr Nagul, providing an opportunity to observe the coach working with her team or academy players and offer further practical guidance.

The FIFA Coach Mentorship Programme is intended to build a strong community of women coaches, enhance coach retention and leadership, and contribute towards creating a sustainable coaching ecosystem that strengthens the women’s football pathway in India.