In an effort to scout players for the Indian Under-16 national team, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is set to launch a global scouting programme in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
This is being done with a view to the AFC Under-16 Championships to be held in India in September 2016 as well as the FIFA Under-17 World Cup exactly one year later.
Named the SAI-AIFF Overseas Scouting Project, the programme kicks off with on-field trials for interested players born in 2000 or 2001 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on June 10 and 11.
The programme, aimed at boys currently holding solely Indian passports, will move to other countries in the coming months.