That the popularity of football is increasing year-on-year in India is evident from the fact that the sport attracted 60% more audiences in a span of five years from 2005-2009, according to a Tam Sports study titled ‘Football- consumption by the Indian television audience’.

IFF 2010 - Though the speakers at the grassroots session varied in their approach, their raison d’être remained bottom-upwards. But which of the models will emerge as the best? No one knows as of now. For in a massive country like India, maybe all the models will work… some here, some there...

What was refreshing was that the panellists decided to abandon the griping of "cricket is eating us away" and tried to look within: what is that football needs to do to become more attractive to the moneybags.

From AIFF general secretary Alberto Calaco’s laying down the agenda for reviving soccer, to the apparently mundane but shining with promises – stats rolled out by TAM sports on viewership and ad spends, to a rousing applause that Prof Vijay Barse of Slum Soccer received, it was a well rounded story of a path to football's revival.

Talking at the inaugural India Football Forum 2010, a SportzPower Knowledge Series initiative, All India Football Federation general secretary Alberto Colaco stated that the federations annual budget has seen a drastic rise with almost Rs 500 million marked out for the current financial year.

Galaxy of leading speakers at AIFF-endorsed event to discuss roadmap for growth of the game. Steps involved to grow professional football, requirements from broadcasters and corporates to drive ratings, developments at the grassroots level to create future stars, and learnings from Major League Soccer in focus at India Football Forum 2010.