FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Manchester United - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - January 5, 2025 General view of the ball next to snow on the side of the pitch during the match REUTERS/Phil Noble/ File Photo
LONDON (Reuters) -The English Premier League is expanding its global footprint with the opening of a new office in Mumbai, strengthening its commitment to one of football's most passionate fan bases.
The Mumbai hub will build on nearly two decades of Premier League engagement in India, where the League has run grassroots initiatives since 2007 through its Premier Skills programme, supporting thousands of coaches and young people in 18 states.
At elite level, the Premier League has collaborated with the Indian Super League since 2014, sharing expertise in governance and development. Their joint Next Gen Cup youth tournament will feature its sixth edition in Mumbai next May, featuring ISL youth teams competing against Premier League Under-19 sides.
"We and our clubs have a fantastic and knowledgeable fanbase in India, and we know football continues to grow in popularity,"
Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said.
"Opening this office marks a significant milestone for the Premier League. It will allow us to operate more effectively locally as we build on our existing work to establish more ways to strengthen our relationship with fans."
The Premier League established offices in Singapore (2019), New York (2023) and Beijing (2024) as part of its global strategy of strengthening local partnerships and combating content piracy.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, Editing by Ed Osmond)
