New Delhi, Aug 24 (PTI) India has 3,41,862 registered football players, 16,295 coaches and 3,347 referees, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has told the Central Information Commission (CIC).

The figures were furnished by the football federation in response to an RTI application seeking the number of registered players, coaches and referees in India for the 2015-25 period.

The application also sought details of the club-wise number of injuries reported by Indian Super League (ISL) clubs during FIFA international windows in 2024 and 2025.

It sought information on the achieved and unachieved goals under the AIFF Lakshya 2022 document, Target 2026 and AIFF Strategic Target 2019-22, along with reasons for failure to achieve the objectives and steps taken to meet the unachieved targets.

The application also sought details of initiatives taken by the federation for the development of youth and women’s football, plans for the senior women’s national team ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, and the priority accorded to the 2027 tournament.

In its response, the federation said the information relating to ISL clubs could not be produced under the RTI Act, which does not require a public information officer to create information or deduce conclusions from material.

The federation, however, provided the registration figures, saying, “The total number of registered Players in India is 3,41,862. The total number of registered Coaches in India is 16,295. The total number of registered Referees in India is 3347.” The applicant later approached the CIC, alleging that the response was incomplete, false and misleading. The federation maintained that point-wise replies had been provided.

In its order, Information Commissioner P R Ramesh held that the queries had been appropriately answered and that permissible information had been supplied. PTI

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