Indian Super League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: The Premier League and our clubs are looking forward to welcoming Bengaluru and Kerala Blasters players to the Next Generation Cup, which is being held for the first time in the UK for youth development. Generation Cup, Premier League and Premier League clubs will also hold knowledge-sharing workshops to better support the Indian Super League clubs involved. The Next Generation Cup also offers a brilliant opportunity for young players in the league to meet and compete, learn about each other’s cultures and develop both on and off the field, he added.
The NextGen Cup will feature five young Premier League players. Teams, two ISL youth teams and one South African academy team. The five Premier League academy teams will be divided into two groups and will play their first match on Wednesday, 27 July, in London and the Midlands. The Next Generation Cup will feature five Premier League youth club teams, South African academics Bangalore FC and Kerala Blast. The youth teams of the two Indian League clubs qualified for the Next Generation Cup by finishing top two in the inaugural Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) earlier this year. Kerala Blasters and Bengaluru FC will represent India at the Global Forum following their success in the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL).
This event builds on the ongoing partnership between the Indian Premier League and the Indian Super League to support the development and growth of Indian football. Recently, the two leagues have partnered in India to develop the sport across the board, aiming to improve the level of coaches and referees in the country. Through a partnership that began eight years ago, the Premier League and FSDL continue to work together to share knowledge and expertise in all game areas, including management, talent development, business growth, administration and community development.
This will permit the ISL’s young guns to show off their abilities worldwide for all to see. The competition began two years ago in Navi Mumbai when young teams from Premier League clubs competed against youth teams from ISL clubs. Chelsea’s U-14 team won the NextGen Cup for the first time in 2020.
This will undoubtedly enable young league players to become top footballers and lead the growth of football in India. Next-generation Indian footballers will aim for the trophy when they pitch against young players from top English clubs in the Next Gen Cup Premier League. While the Bengaluru were crowned champions, the Kerala Blasters finished second and qualified for a trip to the United Kingdom.