All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Kalyan Chaubey has expressed confidence that Khelo India West Bengal will become a driving force behind the state’s sporting revival following the formation of the BJP government. Speaking about the future of football and grassroots sports, Chaubey said West Bengal is set to witness major investments in sports infrastructure and competitive opportunities, adding that the new administration under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will create an environment where athletes can flourish.
According to Chaubey, the state’s rich sporting tradition, particularly in football and cricket, deserves stronger institutional backing through national programmes such as Khelo India.
Khelo India West Bengal expected to strengthen football infrastructure
Highlighting the importance of Khelo India West Bengal, Chaubey said the initiative would provide athletes with improved facilities, organised competitions and better pathways to professional sport.
He criticised previous governments for not hosting Khelo India events despite Bengal’s strong sporting culture.
“The atmosphere of negative politics that existed in West Bengal for decades has changed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Bengal has always been known for football, cricket and sports in general, but Khelo India was never organised here. That will now change through improved infrastructure and regular competitions,” Chaubey said.
He also claimed that significant investment opportunities have emerged since the BJP assumed office, saying projects worth ₹15,000 crore to ₹20,000 crore have already been initiated across different sectors.
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Grassroots development remains the core objective
The Khelo India West Bengal programme is expected to focus heavily on identifying and nurturing young talent across multiple disciplines.
Launched by the central government to revive India’s sporting culture, Khelo India aims to strengthen grassroots sports by providing athletes with access to quality coaching, infrastructure and competitive exposure. The programme has become one of the country’s flagship initiatives to develop future international athletes.
Chaubey believes football stands to gain considerably because of Bengal’s historic contribution to the sport and its passionate fan base.
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Telangana to host next Khelo India Youth Games
While discussing the expansion of the programme, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently announced that Telangana will host the eighth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games in 2026.
The competition is expected to be held in November, making Telangana the second southern state in three years to stage the prestigious multi-sport event after Tamil Nadu hosted the 2024 edition. Bihar organised the most recent edition in May 2025.
The continued expansion of the Khelo India programme reflects the government’s effort to promote sporting excellence across the country. With Khelo India West Bengal now expected to become a key focus under the new state government, officials hope improved facilities and regular competitions will help produce the next generation of Indian footballers and athletes.