Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools launches next month in Mumbai

A little over a year ago the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools (BBFS) was launched in New Delhi by Indian football icon Baichung Bhutia in partnership with "Football by Carlos Queiroz" from Portugal. Now after having set-up the non-residential football school in Delhi it is now spreading to Mumbai next month.

BBFS will hold a school tournament from December 2 to 4 in Mumbai from which at least 20 talented students would be given direct scholarships. The first BBFS Mumbai batch could see up to 200 kids in training which would begin on December 5 at four centres across Mumbai - Priyadarshini Park, Bandra, Juhu and Kandivali.

The BBFS fees are between INR 2,000 to 3,000 per month and Baichung said that up to 30 percent of children could be from the underprivileged section of society in Mumbai under the BBFS scholarship program.

After the successful launch in Delhi the BBFS spreads west to Mumbai with Pune and Bangalore the next possible destinations. Baichung's aim is to have between 5,000 to 10,000 kids in proper football training in five years time.

Baichung made it a point to reiterate that unlike other football schools or academies in India the BBFS is linked to Baichung's football club United Sikkim FC and they have plans for an residential Academy in Sikkim. The BBFS could in future be a feeder into the Academy and USFC.