'Emphasis is not on branding but on building coaching capacity': Dream Sports Foundation CEO Neel Shah opens up about Premier League partnership | EXCLUSIVE

Dream Sports Foundation partners with the Premier League for the Dream Sports Championship

Indian football’s grassroots ecosystem has often struggled with continuity in coaching education and long-term player development. While youth tournaments and short-term exposure trips have become increasingly common, sustainable ecosystem-building has remained a challenge.

Now, Dream Sports Foundation (DSF) has taken another step in that direction through a strategic partnership with the Premier League. The collaboration, which began during the Dream Sports Championship in Goa earlier this month, focuses heavily on coach development, mentorship, knowledge exchange, and creating stronger pathways for young Indian footballers.

The initiative also builds on DSF’s strategic partnership with the Premier League, the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) and will be integrated into competitions such as the AIFF Junior League and the Dream Sports Championship.

In an exclusive interaction with Khel Now, Dream Sports Foundation’s CEO Mr. Neel Shah spoke in detail about the vision behind the partnership, the importance of coaching education, and DSF’s long-term plans for Indian football.

About the partnership between Dream Sports Foundation and the Premier League

When Khel Now asked Mr. Neel Shah about this partnership between the Dream Sports Foundation and the Premier League, he spoke about the focus on youth development through coaching education, knowledge exchange, mentorship and international exposure opportunities for young players and coaches in India.

“This partnership between Dream Sports Foundation and the Premier League is centred around coaching education, international exposure, and knowledge exchange. T

hrough Dream Sports Foundation’s role as the Official Youth Development Partner of the AIFF and the integration of the Dream Sports Championship into the AIFF Junior League ecosystem, we have an opportunity to work closely with some of the top youth football coaches and players in the country.

The partnership aims to create meaningful, long-term impact through workshops, mentorship, curriculum development, international exposure opportunities and collaborative learning between Indian and international coaches.”

What makes this partnership different?

Speaking further, when we asked Mr Neel Shah about the speciality of this partnership, he explained, highlighting that it is a long-term collaboration focused purely on football development rather than commercial goals.

He spoke about the importance of improving coaching standards, sharing global best practices, and creating greater opportunities for Indian youth coaches and players through knowledge exchange and wider educational initiatives across the country.

“What makes this partnership unique is that it is a long-term, non-commercial collaboration fully focused on football development.

The emphasis is not on branding, but on building coaching capacity and strengthening the ecosystem around youth football in India. It is about providing Indian youth coaches and players with exposure to global best practices and environments, better preparing them to compete on the international stage.

The Premier League coaches are not just delivering sessions, they are spending time understanding the Indian ecosystem, building relationships with coaches, observing talent, and exchanging ideas. We plan to translate many of these learnings into regional workshops and educational content that can create wider reach and impact across the country.”

How will Indian football benefit from this partnership?

As the Dream Sports Foundation now enters the youth football in India, we asked Mr. Neel Shah how this partnership can be beneficial for Indian football, to which he replied by explaining that this partnership aims to enhance youth football in India, alongside developing a structured coaching education system. It also aims to provide international exposure opportunities for the players.

“One major outcome has already been the elevation of the U-16 National Finals into the Dream Sports Championship, with enhancements such as live streaming, prize money, and a more professional competition environment.

Alongside that, the partnership brings structured coaching education workshops, mentorship opportunities, and access to global best practices for Indian coaches. Over time, we also hope to create international exposure opportunities for coaches and young players, including potential exchanges and matches against UK academy teams.”

What are Dream Sports Foundation’s plans for the AIFF Junior League going forward?

Speaking to Khel Now, Mr. Neel Shah also gave clarity regarding the future plans that Dream Sports Foundation has for the AIFF Junior League moving forward with time.

He stated, “Our intention is to continue elevating the AIFF Junior League National Finals into a top-class experience for all stakeholders involved: players, coaches, clubs, and fans. Alongside the competition itself, we want to ensure that contextualized coaching education and coach development are embedded into every stage of the AIFF Junior League ecosystem. Working in partnership with both the Premier League and AIFF gives us an opportunity to bring in global expertise while ensuring it is adapted meaningfully to the Indian context.”

What are Dream Sports Foundation’s broader plans for football going forward?

Mr. Neel Shah also explained the broader plans that Dream Sports Foundation has for football moving forward, with focus on making sports a viable career pathway for youth in India and building a strong ecosystem around it.

“At Dream Sports Foundation, our mission is to make sports a viable career pathway for youth in India. In football, that means investing not only in competitions and athlete development, but also in the ecosystem around the athlete.

We are focused on building high-quality youth programming, establishing clear pathways, strengthening coach and educator development and creating environments where young athletes can thrive.

A major focus for us is developing emotionally intelligent, technologically literate coaches and physical education teachers who can support both the performance and well-being of young athletes. Our football programming starts at the school level through our partnership with the Mumbai School Sports Association and runs up through the design and delivery of the Dream Sports Championship.”

What are the key sports Dream Sports Foundation is involved in?

Dream Sports Foundation is not just limited to a single sport; it works across multiple sporting ecosystem.

“Dream Sports Foundation works across multiple sports, with deeper engagement, over the past few years, in football, table tennis, athletics, badminton, hockey, cricket, weightlifting, and boxing.

Across all these sports, our focus remains consistent, strengthening pathways, improving access to quality development opportunities, and supporting the broader ecosystem around athletes.” concluded Mr. Neel Shah.

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