Capri Sports enters 15-year partnership with AIFF for IWL, IWL 2 commercial rights

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 partnership is part of Capri Sports’ long-term strategy to develop a sustainable commercial ecosystem for women’s football in India. The company will focus on building audiences, increasing visibility for clubs and players, attracting brands and investment, and driving broadcast and digital engagement across both leagues.

The partnership comes shortly after Capri Sports launched Nova Sports, a grassroots-to-elite football initiative aimed at expanding access and opportunities for girls across India. The initiative has set an ambition of reaching 1.5 million girls over the next decade.


With Nova Sports focused on grassroots participation and the IWL and IWL 2 representing the elite club levels, Capri Sports aims to establish an end-to-end pathway for women’s football, spanning participation, development and professional competition.

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

Established in 2016, the IWL is scheduled to begin its latest edition on October 15, 2026, with eight clubs playing 56 matches across multiple host cities.

Speaking about the partnership, Jinisha Sharma, director and promoter, Capri Sports, said the company’s ambition was to build the IWL and IWL 2 into commercially sustainable platforms that strengthen clubs, develop talent and expand fan engagement.

“India has the talent and scale to be part of this momentum, but our players need strong competition, professional environments and clear pathways to grow,” Sharma said.

She added that sporting success, social impact and commercial value could develop together through long-term investment in the women’s football ecosystem.

Apurv Gupta, head of contact sports, Capri Sports, said the two leagues, which represent the top two tiers of women’s club football in India, offered an opportunity to build a stronger commercial ecosystem around the sport.

“Our focus over the next 15 years will be on building audiences, increasing visibility for clubs and players, shaping broadcast and digital engagement, and creating meaningful opportunities for brands and partners to participate in the growth of women’s football,” Gupta said.

AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said the timing of the partnership was important for women’s football in India. He pointed to increased participation through initiatives such as the ASMITA leagues, growth in player registrations and the introduction of dedicated U-17 and U-15 women’s youth competitions.

Chaubey also highlighted the progress made by India’s senior, U-20 and U-17 national teams at the Asian level in 2026. He said the next step was to strengthen club competitions and improve their professionalism.

“A long-term commercial partner with the right intent can help us build on this momentum, create greater value for our clubs and players, and develop a stronger women’s football ecosystem over the next 15 years,” Chaubey said.

AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan said the partnership would help increase the visibility of the leagues, generate greater interest among fans and partners, and provide a stronger platform for clubs and players.

Capri Sports is part of Capri Global Ventures’ portfolio, with the group’s interests spanning multiple sectors through its subsidiaries. Its key businesses include non-banking financial services, housing finance and sports. The sports venture owns franchises in the Women’s Premier League, UAE ILT20 and Pro Kabaddi League, alongside Warriorz FC and Nova Sports.