Capri Sports partners with AIFF for 15 years to develop the commercial and marketing potential of IWL and IWL 2, with a focus on greater visibility for women’s club football.

Kolkata, September 22: Capri Sports has entered into a 15-year partnership with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to secure the commercial development and marketing rights of the Indian Women’s League (IWL) and Indian Women’s League 2 (IWL 2).

The long-term partnership will see Capri Sports work on the commercial growth and marketing of the top two tiers of women’s club football in India. The focus will be on building a larger audience for the leagues, increasing the visibility of clubs and players, attracting brands and investment, and developing broadcast and digital engagement around women’s football.

Capri Sports believes the long-term agreement will help create a more sustainable commercial ecosystem for women’s club football, while providing greater opportunities for clubs and players.

The partnership comes shortly after Capri Sports launched Nova Sports, a grassroots-to-elite football initiative focused on creating more opportunities for girls across India. The initiative has an ambition to reach 1.5 million girls over the next decade. With Nova Sports working at the grassroots level and the IWL and IWL 2 at the professional level, Capri Sports aims to create a pathway from participation and development to elite club football.

Capri Sports also has experience in women’s sport through its involvement with the UP Warriorz in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).

The eleventh edition of the IWL, will begin on October 15, 2026. The upcoming season will feature eight clubs across 56 matches and will be played across multiple host cities.

Speaking about the partnership, Capri Sports Director and Promoter Jinisha Sharma said the company wants to build the IWL and IWL 2 into aspirational and commercially sustainable platforms, with a focus on strengthening clubs, developing talent, fan engagement and better on-ground experiences.

AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said the partnership comes at an important time for women’s football in India. He highlighted the growth of women’s football through initiatives such as the ASMITA leagues, increased player registrations and dedicated U15 and U17 competitions, while also pointing towards the progress of India’s senior, U20 and U17 women’s national teams at the Asian level in 2026.

With Capri Sports taking up the commercial and marketing rights of both the IWL and IWL 2 for the next 15 years, the partnership will focus on increasing the visibility and commercial value of women’s club football in India.

In the last few seasons, the IWL has mainly been available through digital streaming, with matches being broadcast on AIFF’s official YouTube channel. With Capri Sports now coming on board for the commercial and marketing rights of the IWL and IWL 2 for the next 15 years, something bigger can be expected in terms of the league’s broadcast, promotion, overall presentation, and more exposure to the girls. While the exact plans are yet to be announced, the partnership could bring wider visibility and a more commercial approach to how women’s club football is presented to fans.