Hyderabad, September 20th, 2017: The much awaited Hyderabad Football League (HFL) is all set to kick start its new Season and the 3rd in a row with many exciting features to provide an wholesome experience to the spectators, while ensuring that the game is engrossing and competitive for the players. To raise the tempo for the season, organisers have roped in the youthful and sophisticated looking Akhil Akkineni as the face of the league. The details of the forthcoming League was disclosed by Murad Jasani, Chairman, Hyderabad Football League; Adil Mistry & Naved Keshwani, Directors, Hyderabad Football League, at a Press Conference on Wednesday. Akhil Akkineni was also present on the occasion.
This season HFL will begin on November 25th, 2017 with a Grand Opening Ceremony and will conclude with finals on January 27th, 2018. The League spread over 10 weeks of wholesome excitement and festivities will see a cocktail of top level football and thrilling entertainers, presenting a never before kind of a gala experience. Twelve teams playing 135 matches, will vie for the cup. Winners will take away Rs 3 lakhs cash prize; Runners Up Rs 1.5 lakhs cash prize and another Rs 2 lakhs for the best players of the tournament.
All the matches will be live streamed on a dedicated YouTube channel, this season. Scouts from various clubs will witness the matches, identify talented players and offer them trials with their Clubs. Also for the first time, HFL will have teams that will be given out to franchises at 3 season contracts.
Speaking on the occasion Akhil Akkineni said, very very happy to be part of the Hyderabad Football League. I spend lot of time playing football, this despite cricket being my first favourite followed by football. Football is tough, but this format is convenient to play for everyone. We indulge forty minutes of fitness at Gym, instead one can play this game, it's a 40 minutes of fun and workout too. I would have at least played 50 to 60 matches till now. Everyone should try this format at least once and it will be not long before you get addicted to it. This is more convenient to play than cricket because you need 22 players, spend 6 to 7 hours for a cricket match, but this is easy to play, the format of this game is incredible. I myself look forward to play at HFL and intend to be part of a team next season. Generally I am for any sport, you can always count on me, sports actually made my life more organised. Though cricketers are gods in our country, football is on its way to become a popular sport. Recently I was witness to the frenzy of fanatic fans of football at a match in Kerala, lots of my friends who are football enthusiasts will not miss their match even at the height of cricket fever during a nail biting one-day match.
HFL is striving to raise interest in football and make it a household sport by having a youth icon Akhil Akkineni as part of the league, we are hoping to see more youth taking to the game in the city and pulling passionate spectators to the stadiums in the years to come, says Murad Jasani, a diehard football fan with an avowed aim to take the game of football to greater heights. Football is a neglected sport in India and in Hyderabad especially. There is no dearth of talent in our city, despite all the hardship the players endure to fulfil the passion they have for football. The lack of a platform and avenues for Football enthusiasts to showcase their talent is what made us to start this League. The most disturbing aspect for a hardcore football fan like me is lack of representation from Hyderabad in the Indian team. Our talent needs encouragement and support, that is possible when we Hyderabadis make HFL Hamari Football League.
About HFL
Hyderabad Football League - the biggest mini-football league in the city, has had 2 seasons so far, with 400 players taking part during the same. The League has been growing by the Season and raising interest in the game of Football.
The aim of HFL is to give an opportunity to all the talented players in the city to play and showcase their skills in a league that is professionally run and gives them the opportunity to play with and against the best players from Hyderabad. HFL uses the existing infrastructure i.e., all the good 6-a-side football grounds across the city. Thus, creating a good football eco-system. HFL has used 14 grounds across the city, in the previous two seasons and there will be more grounds added to the list this season.
HFL has a mix of amateurs and professionals, with every squad having a maximum of 4 professional players who play for various A division clubs in Hyderabad. A few of these players were shortlisted for Premier futsal. The League had a former India International as the coach of one of the teams. Players who played for Mohun Bagan, Mahindra United and Mumbai FC the biggest clubs in the country in the I-League, also played in this League. The last season’s winners at HFL were the India champions for the Redbull Neymar Jr. 5 tournament and represented India at Brazil. Three of the players from HFL have been shortlisted for the Mini Football World Cup to be held in Tunisia in October 2017. Two players have been shortlisted and given contracts to practice with the German league champions - Bayern Munich.
