The final contours of the much-anticipated IPL-style football tournament is expected to be unveiled by IMG-Reliance, the commercial partners of the All India Football Federation, before the Executive Committee of the AIFF in a crucial meeting here tomorrow.
The International Management Group-Reliance (IMG-R) is expected to give a detailed presentation of the tournament proposed to be held between January and March next year with eight city-based franchise teams taking part in it.
"We will make a detailed presentation about the proposed tournament before the Executive Committee of AIFF. We will also present the AIFF how we are going to execute our plans like appointment of technical committee for the tournament," an IMG-R source told PTI.
"We will give details of how we would market the tournament. Basically we want to improve the profile of Indian football, take the game to the masses, including at the grass-root level," he said.
Tomorrow's meeting could also see the IMG-R revealing the names of the marquee players, which may include some current or just retired international stars, if some reports are to be believed.
IMG-R has reportedly signed 37 Indian players, including the former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia and current players Gouramangi Singh and Syed Rahim Nabi, but have not revealed the international players they plan to rope in, even though some reports have suggested that the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen and Raul Gonzales could feature in the league.
Some other reports even suggested that former World Footballer of the Year Ronaldinho and star Brazil and current Real Madrid midfielder Kaka are likely to play in the league.
"The IMGR has already signed up some of the biggest names in world football who will be the marquee players for the eight franchises," AIFF senior vice-president Subrata Dutta was quoted as saying by 'Gulf News'.
