Does Football Suffer Because of Cricket? A Conversation on India’s Sporting Landscape
Last weekend, the Indian Super League, the highest league in Indian football, kicked off after months of uncertainty. The disruption, which compelled some clubs to halt their operations and consigned players and coaches to a state of desperation, emanated from the absence of a commercial partner for the league once the Master Rights Agreement between the All India Football Federation and Football Sports Development Limited expired in December.
The Indian football team, which is 14th in the FIFA rankings, failed to even qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup after a loss to Singapore last October. Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is the richest and most powerful cricket board in the world, and India’s cricketers enjoy demigod status across the length and breadth of the country.
Does football suffer because of cricket? This question sits at the heart of a broader conversation about India’s sporting identity, its priorities, and its potential.
Cricket’s Overwhelming Sway
Is cricket’s overwhelming sway responsible for impeding football in India? The answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no.
Abhik Chatterjee, a football administrator, argues that cricket is the primary sport in India with a huge appetite. “However, I would say that football is a second favourite. I feel cricket has heroes, which is why people consume it more. There are so many people who aspire to get into the sport because India is able to perform at the highest level.”
This is a crucial point. Success breeds aspiration. When children see their national team winning, when they have heroes to emulate, they are more likely to take up the sport. Cricket in India has produced generations of heroes; football has not.
Yannick Colaco offers a different perspective: “I do agree that football is the clear number 2 sport in India. Research shows there are close to 305 million football fans in the country now. When we think about sports as an opportunity, I don’t think we can say cricket is so dominant that there is no space for other sports.”
The numbers are striking. 305 million football fans is more than the population of most countries. The opportunity is immense; the question is how to realise it.
The Performance Factor
The Indian cricket team is among the best in the world right now. But the Indian football team continues to plummet in FIFA rankings. How big a factor is the performance of the respective teams?
Colaco acknowledges that performance matters: “The performance of the Indian team is extremely important. I think that essentially just creates better sentiment. Anything that can create positivity around a sport is a good thing. But I don’t think it is the only thing.”
He points out that even in cricket, India was not consistently winning global tournaments in the past, but cricket was still extremely popular. Building fandom and telling the stories of footballers can motivate people beyond the performance of the national team.
Chatterjee emphasises the need for systemic change: “There needs to be a concentrated effort across the board. All the stakeholders, whether it is the clubs, federation, or broadcaster, need to come together. There is a way to convey why football is what it is, and why people love the sport.”
He argues that foundations need to be put in place at the bottom and developed gradually all the way to the top. It needs to be systemic and sustainable.
The ISL Experiment
When the ISL, which was modelled along the lines of the Indian Premier League in cricket, began in 2014, there was a lot of optimism. People believed that this was a new dawn for Indian football. Has that opportunity been squandered?
Colaco rejects the idea of a “silver bullet”: “People are attracted towards the concept of a silver bullet. They think one thing is going to change everything. It does not work that way. When the ISL was set up, it was a very positive move. The ISL has close to 150 million fans across the country. I think there is still optimism around the game of football.”
Chatterjee sees the ISL as foundational: “Nothing is wasted. The ISL has paved the way for people to start watching a professionally marketed domestic football league that from the beginning featured players from around the world.”
He points to the impact of foreign coaches: “We have had some top foreign coaches come into the league over the last decade. Indian coaches have obviously benefited from working with them. They have learned how to upgrade themselves. Some of them have gone on to become head coaches in their own right.”
This is a small example of how the ISL has contributed to the ecosystem. There are positives to be grateful for, even as there are aspects to improve.
The Media Rights Question
When the ISL media rights were sold earlier, the valuation was a fraction of the IPL media rights. Joy Bhattacharya famously said that if India is to take itself seriously as a sporting nation, this bizarrely skewed ratio has to come down.
Colaco cautions against putting numbers without context: “In today’s social media world, putting out numbers without context has become a norm. The situation is a lot more complex. The media rights value is definitely not a reflection of the state of a sport in our country.”
He argues that the focus should be on following, viewership, attendance, and much more to judge a sport. Monetisation will happen, but if you focus only on that, you won’t concentrate on the most important aspect: how the fan base is growing.
The Governance Challenge
In terms of governance, cricket seems to largely have its house in order. In football, the administration has been riddled with controversies. How detrimental has that been?
Chatterjee acknowledges the issues: “There are multiple issues that Indian football has gone through in the past year. It would be foolish to deny that. It is out in the open. But there is an opportunity to move in a new direction.”
He notes that clubs have come together in a refreshing way: “I speak more with my colleagues than I ever have in the last 14 years. Everybody has taken joint ownership of the product. Everybody is committed to taking responsibility for the development of the game.”
He points out that cricket has also had issues on the international stage, and with strong leadership, it has settled into what it is today. The ISL is still in a growing phase, but everybody is committed to moving forward.
The Path Forward
How optimistic are we of India widening its sporting footprint, with cricket and football thriving together? Or will football always be a distant number 2 sport?
Colaco takes the long view: “The sporting footprint is already widening in terms of participation. There is no one-year, two-year solution. We need to think of this and plan for the next five or 10 years. You keep building milestones in that space.”
He cautions against expecting football to suddenly become 10 times its size in a year or two. It must be built patiently, in the right way.
Chatterjee offers a crucial perspective: “Football has to be looked at in a singular manner, in its own ecosystem, and within its own set of challenges. If you do want to compare, you should compare India to neighbouring countries in the Asian Football Confederation that we have to catch up with or match.”
Countries like Australia, Thailand, and Hong Kong offer more valid comparisons than cricket-obsessed India. Those are the discussions that need to happen.
Conclusion: Two Sports, One Future
Does football suffer because of cricket? The answer is not straightforward. Cricket’s dominance creates challenges, but it does not foreclose possibilities. The 305 million football fans in India are proof that there is space for multiple sports.
The real question is not whether football can compete with cricket, but whether football can realise its own potential. That requires systemic change, patient investment, and a focus on the fundamentals: participation, coaching, infrastructure, and fan engagement.
Cricket will remain India’s primary sport for the foreseeable future. But football can grow alongside it, not as a rival but as a complementary passion for millions of Indians. The opportunity is there. The question is whether Indian football’s stakeholders can seize it.
Q&A: Unpacking Cricket and Football in India
Q1: How many football fans are there in India according to research?
Research suggests there are close to 305 million football fans in India. This is more than the population of most countries and demonstrates that despite cricket’s dominance, there is immense space for football to grow. The opportunity is significant; the challenge is realising it through systemic development.
Q2: Why is the performance of the Indian football team important?
Performance creates heroes and aspiration. When children see their national team winning and have role models to emulate, they are more likely to take up the sport. Cricket’s success in producing generations of heroes has driven its popularity. Football’s lack of international success has limited its ability to inspire new generations.
Q3: What has been the impact of the Indian Super League?
The ISL has been foundational, paving the way for a professionally marketed domestic league featuring international players. It has attracted top foreign coaches, benefiting Indian coaches who have learned and upgraded themselves. The league has close to 150 million fans. While there are improvements to be made, the ISL has contributed positively to the ecosystem.
Q4: How does football governance compare to cricket?
Cricket governance, through the BCCI, is largely settled and effective. Football administration has been riddled with controversies, including the recent commercial partner uncertainty that disrupted the ISL. However, clubs have come together to take joint ownership of the product, and there is commitment to moving forward and solving issues collectively.
Q5: What is the right benchmark for Indian football’s progress?
According to Abhik Chatterjee, football should be looked at in its own ecosystem with its own challenges. The right comparison is not with cricket but with neighbouring countries in the Asian Football Confederation that India needs to catch up with or match—countries like Australia, Thailand, and Hong Kong. Those are more valid benchmarks.<｜end▁of▁thinking｜>The user has provided a new image with text and requested a current affairs article based on it, along with 5 Q&A. The image text is a discussion/interview about whether football suffers because of cricket’s dominance in India, featuring Abhik Chatterjee and Yannick Colaco. It covers topics like the number of football fans, the ISL’s impact, governance issues, media rights, and the path forward.
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