Bengaluru FC, Kerala Blasters in UK to play Next Generation Cup

Mumbai: To battle in the Next Generation Cup (NGC), 2022, Indian Super League franchises Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters FC reserve squad arrived in the United Kingdom, IANS reported.

NGC is part of the partnership between Premier League and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which goes long back to supporting the development of Indian football. NGC features five Premier League club youth teams, one academy side from South Africa, in addition to Bengaluru and Kerala, totalling eight teams.

Teams are divided into two groups, the first match of the tournament will take place on July 27 in London and Midlands.

The two franchises got qualified for the tournament after they finished top in the inaugural Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) happened in earlier this year.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said, "The Premier League and our clubs look forward to welcoming players from Bengaluru FC and the Kerala Blasters FC for the Next Generation Cup, the first time the youth development tournament has been held in the UK.

"This event builds on our continued work with the Hero Indian Super League to support the development and growth of football in India. It also provides a brilliant opportunity for young players from the Leagues to meet and compete against each other, learn about each other's cultures and develop both on and off the pitch.

"I hope everyone taking part in the Cup at Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur's first-team training facilities enjoys their experience and benefits from their involvement."

FSDL spokesperson said, "It gives us immense pleasure to see young Indian footballers gain international exposure and take their game to the next level. This will surely empower the emerging players to evolve as better footballers and lead the growth of football in the country.

"The FSDL-Premier League partnership has been a crucial step towards our commitment to globalise Indian football, and we are thankful to the Premier League for being partners and resonating our vision towards the development and growth of the Indian football ecosystem.

"India has immense potential for football, and we at FSDL strive to constantly strengthen the sport to establish the country as a global football powerhouse. We wish our players all the best for the tournament and hope this serves as a great learning experience for them," the spokesperson added.

Further, the tournament will feature Premier League and its clubs conducting knowledge-sharing workshops. Young Indian footballers will have a chance to have the experience of playing in the UK, competing against academy sides from the most followed football league in the world.