Capri Sports, AIFF Sign 15-Year Indian Women’s Football Deal

Capri Sports has signed a 15-year partnership with the All India Football Federation to lead the commercial development and marketing of the Indian Women’s League and IWL 2, setting out a long-term plan for India’s top two tiers of women’s club football.

Announced on September 22, 2026, the agreement gives Capri Sports responsibility for developing commercial opportunities across both competitions. The partnership is focused on building audiences, increasing the visibility of clubs and players, attracting brands and investment, and strengthening broadcast and digital engagement.

The length of the deal is significant for a women’s football ecosystem seeking to turn growing participation into sustained club interest, regular viewership and stronger commercial value. Rather than concentrating solely on short-term sponsorship opportunities, Capri Sports has stated that it intends to build commercial structures over a longer period.

Long-term focus on the Indian Women’s League

The Indian Women’s League and IWL 2 are at the centre of the agreement, with Capri Sports taking on the task of marketing and commercial development across the country’s leading women’s club competitions. Its stated priorities include storytelling, fan engagement, on-ground experiences and creating more opportunities for brands to invest in the leagues.

Capri Sports director and promoter Jinisha Sharma told Forbes India that the company had evaluated women’s football for several years before making its commitment to the sector. Sharma said the company sees an opportunity to connect girls playing football at school level with a stronger spectator culture around the professional game.

In that view, the IWL can provide a platform through which participation develops into regular viewership and a wider fan base. The partnership therefore links commercial growth with the visibility of the professional women’s game, while aiming to provide clubs and players with a more prominent platform.

AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said the arrangement could help strengthen club competitions and further professionalise the women’s football ecosystem. The federation also highlighted increased participation through initiatives including the ASMITA leagues, as well as dedicated U-17 and U-15 women’s competitions.

The agreement arrives amid a sharp increase in registered women footballers in India. According to the Traders Union report cited in the announcement, the number rose from 11,724 in June 2022 to 27,936 in March 2024, an increase of 138%. The growth underlines the potential player base and audience that the IWL and IWL 2 can seek to serve.

Building from grassroots participation to club audiences

Capri Sports’ football involvement extends beyond the league agreement. The company has launched Nova Sports, described as a grassroots-to-elite initiative intended to expand access and opportunities for girls across India. Its stated target is to reach 1.5 million girls over the next decade.

The company also brings experience in women’s sport through its involvement with the UP Warriorz in the Women’s Premier League. Under the new AIFF partnership, its attention will turn to the commercial development of women’s club football and the challenge of converting participation growth into stronger visibility and sustainable support for the IWL and IWL 2.

Implementation across the two leagues is expected to shape the next phase of women’s club football in India. With a 15-year timeframe, the AIFF-Capri Sports agreement establishes an extended framework for developing audiences, attracting investment and expanding engagement around the domestic women’s game.