John Abraham believes Indian football could be heading towards a major change as the Indian Super League enters a new phase. Speaking at NorthEast United’s jersey launch, the club co-owner said he expects football to grow much bigger in India and challenge cricket’s dominance. The ISL is moving towards a club-led commercial model, with clubs taking greater control of the league’s commercial rights.
Abraham said, “Football will be the new cricket (in India) from this year because the club owners have taken over the league from this year and you will see a huge paradigm shift in football from this year. I’m one of the owners and I’m hoping to see that change.” His comments reflect his belief that the new structure can help Indian football attract more attention and create stronger opportunities for players. NorthEast United, who represent all eight states of Northeast India, have also won back-to-back Durand Cups and are looking to build on that success.
“60-70% of players can come from Northeast”: John Abraham sets ambitious India football target while speaking to press at NorthEast United’s jersey launch
John Abraham has set an ambitious target for NorthEast United and believes the club can play a major role in shaping Indian football’s future. Speaking about his 14-year association with the club, Abraham said, “It’s been difficult, but it’s also been a lot of fun. There have been ups and downs. We weren’t doing really well, but now we are doing very well.” He added, “I would say we are one of the top two or three teams in the league. We are going to fight for the ISL championship this year.”
Abraham also wants NorthEast United’s academy to become a major source of Indian talent. “The idea is to get football players to represent other clubs internationally. That’s how people will look back at India,” he said. His biggest target is even more ambitious, “In the next two years, I think 60 to 70% of the players in the national team and the Under-23 national team will be from the Northeast, from our club and from our academy. That’s my aim.” On competing with bigger clubs, he said, “Of course, it’s difficult for someone like me because I am a single owner competing with multibillion-dollar corporates. But we are punching above our weight. We are very proud of ourselves and proud of our region.”
