Baichung Bhutia & Nirmal Lifestyle launch University Football League!

Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and Nirmal Lifestyle have come together to announce the launch of India's first-ever University Football League yesterday in Mumbai.

The UFL will initially start across five cities — Mumbai, Kolkata, Kochi, Delhi and Bangalore with 16 colleges and universities from every city taking part in a league-cum-knockout format. Two teams from every city will then progress towards another round of football to determine the national winner.

The prize money for the winners is Rs. 1 Million (10 lakh) and the runners-up will take home Rs. 500,000 (5 lakh), while the total prize money will be around Rs. 2 Million (20 lakh).

For the UFL Baichung Bhutia's promoted BBFS have partnered with Nirmal Lifestyle Limited, a Real Estate Company with Italian sportswear company Diadora another parrner with an aim to expand the UFL to 20 cities by the fourth year.

The inaugural season is planned for October to December 2013 with the organisers hoping that the league becomes a scouting platform for India football clubs to source untapped talent, while also giving the university boys a chance to test their skills against their peers.