The Premier League is set to host young stars from India at the Next Gen Cup 2024, a prestigious tournament that provides a platform for talented young footballers to compete against each other. This year’s edition will feature three clubs from India, including Punjab FC, East Bengal FC, and Muthoot FA, who secured their spot in the tournament through the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL).
The Premier League is committed to developing the game around the world.
The Next Gen Cup is an incredible opportunity for youth teams to showcase their talent and compete against some of the best young players from international clubs. The tournament provides India’s talented young footballers with an opportunity to compete with equivalent age-group teams from Premier League Academies and the South African Premier Soccer League.
The competition will run over four match rounds, held at Aston Villa’s Bodymoor Training Ground, with two groups of four clubs playing each other before proceeding onto a final fixture based on table positions to close the tournament. This will be held at Loughborough University Stadium, where this year’s winners will be crowned.
Aston Villa’s Bodymoor Training Ground will host the Next Gen Cup.
All games will be 11-a-side and will be 50 minutes long, with two 25-minute halves being played in each fixture. The tournament serves as a fantastic learning experience for the young players both on and off the pitch, providing them with a platform to interact with one another as well as learn about each other’s cultures.
“The Next Generation Cup is an incredible opportunity for youth teams to showcase their talent and compete against some of the best young players from international clubs.” - Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Team India and Bengaluru FC goalkeeper.
The Premier League is committed to developing the game around the world, and the Next Gen Cup is a testament to this commitment. The tournament provides a platform for young players to gain international exposure and learn from diverse coaching styles.
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Team India and Bengaluru FC goalkeeper, lauds the Next Generation Cup.
Several players who have featured in previous editions of the Next Gen Cup have gone on to make their Premier League debut in recent seasons, including West Ham’s George Earthy, Leicester City’s Michael Golding, and Sydie Peck, who played for Arsenal at the time but made his first team debut for Sheffield United.
The relationship between the Premier League and Reliance Foundation is rooted in the player-development journey, enabling them to have competitive game time at an international level, have new cultural experiences, and learn how football and its development takes place for the youth players in the Premier League.
The Reliance Foundation is committed to developing the game in India.
The Premier League offers broader support for the development of the game in India, including elite coaching programs, referee development, and the sharing of knowledge and expertise in all areas of the elite game.
The Next Gen Cup is a fantastic opportunity for young Indian and South African footballers to play in the UK against English academy teams, and we wish all the teams the best of luck in the tournament.
