10 lakh footballs to be distributed in schools nationwide under FIFA’s F4S programme: Education Minister –

About 10 lakh footballs will be distributed to schools across the country to boost participation in football and nurture a strong sporting culture among the students. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced this while flagging the distribution of FIFA footballs as part of the Football for Schools (F4S) at the PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya, Fort William in Kolkata. While speaking at the event, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan shared that over 88,000 footballs will be distributed in West Bengal alone, benefiting nearly 15 to 16 lakh children. Expressing his love for the sport, he emphasised that even a single football in a small school can inspire children to engage with the game and develop a genuine passion for playing. He further highlighted that approximately 10 lakh footballs will be distributed to schools across the country.
 
The F4S programme, spearheaded by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), aims to promote football at the grassroots level by making the sport more accessible to students within the school system. In India, the programme is implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) with support from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI). Under the F4S program, FIFA is contributing more than 9.6 lakh footballs for school students in India, besides 129 other countries.