FIFA Coach Workshop in Kolkata: Building Future of Women’s Football in India

The four-day FIFA Coach Capacity Building Workshop, organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and conducted by FIFA experts Simon Toselli and Stephanie Spielmann, concluded at the National Centre of Excellence (NCE) in Kolkata on September 19, 2024. This workshop is a key part of the FIFA Women’s League Development, which is under the broader FIFA Women’s Development Programme.

The workshop was attended by 25 coaches, including 19 women and six men, from the Indian women’s national teams, IWL, and IWL 2 clubs, and various other stakeholders from 12 states. Simon Toselli is a FIFA Women’s Football Technical Expert, and Stephanie Spielmann is a former player, a UEFA A-License coach, and a FIFA and OFC instructor.

AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey addressed the participants on Day Three, emphasizing the potential of women’s football in India. He said, “Women’s football is one area where we have huge potential to progress at the international level. But to achieve this target, we need to have a true leadership training program.”

Chaubey highlighted the popularity of women’s football in certain areas of India and stressed the importance of identifying and nurturing talent. He said, “Our target should be to identify more talents in women’s football in these areas. All of you, who are participating in this workshop and working diligently to enhance your knowledge, may identify the talents and share it with the talent scouts of the AIFF on a regular basis. It will help to create a bigger pool of players.”

He also set a goal to identify at least 200 talented women footballers aged 17 to 23 and provide them with advanced training and more match time to prepare for the 2030 Asian Games or the 2029 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. Chaubey thanked FIFA for sending its experts, Simon Toselli and Stephanie Spielmann, to conduct the workshop. He noted that the participation of women’s footballers in India has increased by 138 percent and expressed confidence that FIFA would continue to support the development of women’s football in India.

The workshop featured theoretical sessions in the mornings, practical field sessions in the afternoons, and one-on-one breakout sessions for personalized interaction with the experts. Toselli and Spielmann shared their experience and expertise in women’s football, leadership skills, styles of play, game models, positional coaching, football fitness, and periodization.

Toselli emphasized the importance of communication, saying, “If you are good at communication and explanation, your team will do great.” Spielmann highlighted the importance of demonstrating while explaining points to players during training, saying, “It saves you time, it does not waste it.” She encouraged coaches to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses and make necessary adjustments to overcome challenges.