8 reasons why it's a great time to be a football fan in India

4. Big names are beginning to show interest in the nation – The growing popularity of the sport is leading to some of football’s big names (be it players, ex-players or teams) seeing the nation as a market. Liverpool FC have launched an academy in India and FC Barcelona are looking to do the same in the near future. Lionel Messi has already visited Kolkata with the Argentine national team and Bayern Munich have played an exhibition match against the Indian team. The world is beginning to recognise India as a nation that likes football.

5. Infrastructure in the nation is improving – One of the main areas India is lacking in is infrastructure. However, the country does have a massive fan base for the game and this means that companies are willing to invest in the game. The best way to solve the infrastructure problems is by investing in the game so that these problems won’t be around much longer. The fact that Indian clubs compete in AFC competitions means the infrastructure is slowly improving already. It’s only a matter time before the nation can start building a top-class league and improving the national team.

6. Club merchandise now available – One of the best ways to flaunt support for your club is by wearing official club merchandise (jerseys, jackets, hoodies, caps, etc.) and these are now very easily available. For instance, Manchester United have opened a few of their official stores in the country. Apart from such stores, sports brands like Adidas, Nike, Puma, etc. keep jerseys and other merchandise in stock. Showing off your support is now a lot more easy than it was maybe ten or twenty years ago.

7. Media coverage of the sport is prevalent – Due to the fact that the number of fans are increasing, media outlets are now covering football leagues on a more regular basis. This increased coverage allows fans to get a more in-depth view of matches. There is also a rise in the number of football blogs and websites being run which is only serving to garner a larger buzz around the game. Football clubs are also doing a lot to get a slice of the lucrative Indian football pie (like Liverpool launching a Twitter account specially for India).

8. Social networks makes connecting to other fans easier – With the advent of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+, Indian football fans are now able to connect with one another easily, giving fans an outlet to express their passion as they are mostly unable to attend matches in stadiums. The fact that clubs also have their own official Facebook and Twitter pages makes it easier to keep up with the latest news.