Sports Ministry Enhances Financial Support To NSFs, Plans 13 Franchise Leagues In 2025

New Delhi, May 23: In a major push towards realising India's Olympic ambitions and fostering a sustainable sports culture, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (Sports Ministry) has announced a comprehensive revision to the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs).

The reform, which comes at the start of a new Olympic cycle post-Paris 2024, reflects the government's commitment to strengthening India's sports ecosystem in line with its aspiration to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

Minister Mandaviya Unveils Vision for League Culture

Speaking with reporters in Delhi on May 22, Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya emphasised the importance of creating a vibrant "league culture" to popularise and professionalise sports across the country. "League culture is like a festival-just look at what IPL has done for cricket. We want to replicate that enthusiasm across other sports," he said.

In 2025, 13 sports disciplines will see the launch or continuation of franchise-based leagues, including both men's and women's formats. Existing leagues in Hockey and Kabaddi will continue while Shooting and Yogasana leagues are set to begin in November and September respectively. Meanwhile, leagues in basketball, badminton, archery, boxing, wrestling, white water sports, and polo are in advanced planning stages. The Ministry is also finalising formats for rugby and cycling leagues.

Sports Ministry Boosts Financial Assistance and Athlete Welfare

The revised scheme significantly enhances financial outlays across multiple areas:

National Championships Funding:

• ₹90 lakh for High Priority Sports
• ₹75 lakh for Priority Sports (up from ₹51 lakh)

International Tournaments:

Funding doubled to ₹2 crore for events held in India

Coach Salaries:

• Chief National Coaches: ₹7.5 lakh/month (from ₹5 lakh)
• Other Coaches: ₹3 lakh/month (from ₹2 lakh)

Diet Allowance:

• Senior Athletes: ₹1000/day (from ₹690)
• Junior Athletes: ₹850/day (from ₹480)

Focused Investment in Grassroots Talent and Infrastructure

In a clear nod to long-term development, NSFs are now required to allocate at least 20% of their annual budgets toward grassroots and junior/youth development through affiliate units.

Athletes with high performance and potential, identified in both senior and junior categories, will receive support for training at accredited academies. These academies will be selected through a transparent process and overseen by each sport's High Performance Director (HPD). Each athlete will also receive ₹10,000 per month as dietary allowance during non-camp days.

Strengthening Coach Education and Governance

A key component of the revision includes investments in coach development: At least 10% of scheme funds will be earmarked for training coaches, conducting courses, inviting international experts, and developing certification programs. All NSFs will need to employ a Coaching Education Expert, while foreign experts must help build capacity among local coaches during off-training periods.

For better governance, NSFs with annual budgets over ₹10 crores must appoint High-Performance Directors to design and monitor sport-specific development programs. Furthermore, up to 10% of total funding can be used to hire key administrative staff such as CEOs, finance managers, and legal advisors.

A Strategic Vision for Olympic Glory

These revisions mark a strategic leap toward building a more accountable, transparent, and high-performing sports ecosystem. With increased support for infrastructure, grassroots training, leagues, and governance, the government aims to make India a global sporting powerhouse.

As Minister Mandaviya put it, "We are continuously developing in sports, and innovation like this is essential. These changes are not just about medals-they're about building a sporting culture that lasts generations."