In Focus by The Hindu In Focus-Parley | Does football suffer because of cricket?
Feb 19, 2026
Yannick Colaco, co-founder of FanCode with two decades in sports media, and Abhik Chatterjee, CEO of Kerala Blasters with long ISL experience, discuss football's place in India. They debate fandom size, media rights and streaming strategies. They talk club sustainability, talent development, governance challenges and whether cricket's dominance affects football's growth.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Football Is A Strong Number Two
- Football is clearly the second sport in India but has a large, growing appetite among fans.
- Breakthroughs on the international stage and homegrown heroes are key to raising domestic interest.
Fandom Exists But Is Fragmented
- Fandom is large but fragmented across foreign leagues and tournaments.
- Converting existing fans to follow Indian football requires relatable players and storytelling.
Build From Grassroots Up
- Invest in grassroots, youth development and football-specific infrastructure from the bottom up.
- Aim for systemic, sustainable changes instead of short-term fixes.