Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF), the governing body of Indian football, has finally released its audit reports for the financial year 2022-23, more than a year after the end of the fiscal year. This period was marked by significant developments in Indian football, including the return of fans to stadiums after COVID-19 restrictions and the resumption of lower league and youth operations.
One of the key revelations from the AIFF's financial statements is a deficit in the Income and Expenditure account, with expenditures surpassing income by about ₹15 crores. The increased spending, amounting to ₹120 crores, was primarily attributed to the resumption of tournament camps that had been halted due to the pandemic. Surprisingly, the AIFF also spent ₹92,33,684 on meetings alone during the financial year.Furthermore, the AIFF's savings account balance witnessed a notable decline, dropping from ₹28,90,88,246 in FY 2021-22 to ₹12,00,11,389 in FY 2022-23. However, there was a significant rise in the fixed deposits account, mitigating some of the financial strain.On the income front, the AIFF reported a surge in revenue from the sale of telecast and master rights, reaching ₹50 crores, along with increased sponsorship income of ₹6,74,91,178. Notably, the AIFF generated ₹49,98,32,980 from the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup held in India, primarily through grants from FIFA and the Government of India.Despite the increase in income from telecast rights and sponsorship, grants received by the AIFF from the government for regular operations saw a decline from ₹10,50,73,496 to ₹7,38,19,298 across FY 2021-22 and 2022-23. It's important to mention that a significant portion of the expenditure, amounting to ₹12,50,00,000, was allocated specifically for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.In terms of expenditure on domestic football, the AIFF allocated ₹18,47,12,926 for the I-League in FY 2022-23, reflecting an increase from the previous fiscal year. Similarly, expenditures on youth football and women's football also witnessed notable increases, indicating a growing investment in these areas.Overall, the AIFF's financial report for 2022-23 underscores both the challenges and opportunities facing Indian football, highlighting the need for prudent financial management and strategic investments to further develop the sport in the country.
