A GROUP of young footballers from Bengaluru trained at Tottenham Hotspur’s facilities in London this week as part of the club’s partnership with Kickstart FC.
A GROUP of young footballers from Bengaluru trained at Tottenham Hotspur’s facilities in London this week as part of the club’s partnership with Kickstart FC.
A GROUP of young footballers from Bengaluru trained at Tottenham Hotspur’s facilities in London this week as part of the club’s partnership with Kickstart FC.
A group of aspiring footballers from Bengaluru, India have been training at Tottenham Hotspur through the Club’s partnership with Kickstart FC.
The partnership, announced during a visit of Club legends Ledley King and Ossie Ardiles to Bengaluru in November 2023, aims to support the development of local coaches and players in the region.
The week-long programme in London included technical training sessions for Kickstart players, led by our Global Football Development coaches, alongside health and nutrition workshops.
The group also played fixtures against local grassroots teams and were treated to a coaching masterclass by Ledley during one of their training sessions.
Francis found the back of the net twice early on (1st, 4th) as WS Ravi Jabez added another in the 26th minute during Kickstart FC’s 3-0 win over La Esparan-za FC in the KSFA ‘C’ Division League at the Nandan Grounds (Austin Town) here on Wednesday.
Kickstart FC were crowned champions of the Karnataka State Football Association (KSFA) Under-21 Youth Premier League on Sunday, beating Alchemy IFA 42 via penalties after the score ended 2-2 in regulation time. In a tightly contested final at the Bangalore Football Stadium, Kickstart FC went behind twice but also fought back to level the score. Alchemy drew first blood in the 58th minute after an Allen Dammu own goal broke the deadlock. Premish T scored an 80th minute equaliser for Kickstart.
However, eight minutes later; Steve Mathew’s goal put Alchemy 2-1 up and back in front. A late 93rd minute goal from Khuraijam Rishikanta Singh helped Kickstart to take the final to penalties and eventually win the match 4-2.
Kickstart FC secured its first win of the ongoing Indian Women’s League (IWL) season, beating Sethu FC 2-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Thursday.
Assisted by midfielder Mariyammal Balamurugan, Ghanaian forward Philomena Abakah scored the first goal in the 55th minute. Abakah headed in Mariyammal’s aerial cross on the bounce. The cross was quite remarkable, as it went from around 30 yards on the left, from nearer the halfway line, to the scorer positioned near the right post on the bounce.
The Indian Women’s League 2024-25 saw its Round Seven opener at the Nehru Stadium as Kickstart FC finally managed to shrug off their winless tag with a 2-0 victory over Sethu FC on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
The winners who scored both their goals in the second half, struck through Ghanaian striker Philomena Abakah (55’) and Renu (90+ 1’).
Kochi, Feb 15 (source) In an eventful conclusion to the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) Zonal Group Stage in Kerala on Friday, Muthoot FA, Kickstart FC & Sreenidi Deccan FC qualified for the National Group Stage.
Kickstart FC Karnataka captured their sixth consecutive KSFA Karnataka Women’s League (KWL) title on Monday, reinforcing their dominance in the competition. In a thrilling finale at the Bangalore Football Stadium, Kickstart defeated Pink Panthers FC 3-0, ending their campaign with 28 points. Kemp FC, who were awarded a 3-0 walkover victory against Rebels FC, also finished with 28 points from 10 matches, but Kickstart secured the title with a superior goal difference.
Maatru Pratishtana FC finished in third place with 24 points, while Pass FC and Bengaluru FC secured fourth and fifth positions with 19 and 16 points respectively in the 10-team league.
Kickstart FC’s Renu emerged as the league’s top scorer with 16 goals, and teammate Aruna was named the best player of the tournament. Kickstart showcased exceptional defensive strength, conceding only one goal throughout the competition, underscoring their dominance and teamwork.
This remarkable achievement highlights Kickstart FC’s legacy as the leading force in Karnataka women’s football, as they continue to set the standard in the league.
BELGAUM, KARNATAKA: Karnataka and Rajasthan storm through to the finals in the Junior Girls’ National Football Championship Tier 2 after defeating Assam 5-3 and Sikkim 3-3 (4-3 in tie-breaker), respectively at the Sporting Planet Lovedale School Ground on Wednesday, August 7, 2024.
According to Marcus Margulhao, Indian Women’s League (IWL) star Karishma Shirvoikar has extended her stay at Kickstart FC. The forward cum midfielder, despite interest from other teams, pledged her loyalty to the Bengaluru outfit deciding to stay for one more season. Founded in 2016, Kickstart FC is one of the clubs that give utmost importance to youth development.
NEW DELHI: At 18, when most teenagers are busy deciding what subjects to choose and which college to attend for advanced studies, Aruna Bag was faced with the dilemma of choosing between kabaddi and football.
Ledley King reunited with players from Indian football team Kickstart FC at a session held at the Club’s Training Centre in Enfield today (Thursday 20 June).
Kickstart FC is a premier football club and academy based in Karnataka, Bengaluru, dedicated to the development and promotion of football talent in India.
The Club agreed a partnership with Kickstart FC last year with the aim of supporting the development of local coaches and players in the region. As part of the announcement, Ledley and fellow Club legend Ossie Ardiles travelled to India to meet with Kickstart players, as well as fans and local community projects.
Goa’s Karishma Sirvoikar expressed her delight at being selected for the upcoming international friendlies. Karishma is the lone Goan in the 23-member squad of the India Senior Women’s team for the two international friendly matches against Uzbekistan was announced on Monday
Narainpur (Chhattisgarh), May 20 , 2024 : Karnataka reached the final of the inaugural Swami Vivekananda U20 Men’s National Football Championship, defeating Manipur by a solitary goal at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground here on Monday. The all-important goal came in the 14th minute of the match from a penalty, scored by Saikhom Borish Singh.
Narainpur (Chhattisgarh), May 20 (UNI) Karnataka reached the final of the inaugural Swami Vivekananda U20 Men’s National Football Championship, defeating Manipur by a solitary goal
The Indian senior women’s team will play two friendly matches against Uzbekistan on May 31 and June 4 in Tashkent, during the upcoming FIFA women’s international match window. Head coach Langam Chaoba Devi, on Monday, May 6, 2024, announced a probables list of 30 players, who will join the national team camp beginning from May 16 in Hyderabad.
Preeti Kulung Rai, nineteen-year-old midfielder for Nepal’s national football team, caught everyone’s attention on social media during the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Women’s Championship in February and all for good reasons.
The FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia is four days away but, for these 11 boys from the Kickstart Foundation in Bengaluru, the World Cup came early when they boarded a plane to the
Kickstart FC is slowly taking shape to become one of Bangalore’s best football clubs, earlier this year one of their players Nikhil Raj signed for the Indian Super League team Odisha FC, and now he is taking strides towards representing India. Nikhil Raj was named in Igor Stimac’s squad for the U-23 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, the first step towards playing for India. Nikhil was first spotted at the Kickstart Foundation’s initiative at Murphy Town grounds when he came for the U-18 selection for the Holland trip. In the first match of that trip, he scored a spectacular goal in the game’s third minute. His wonderful performances on the pitch caught the eye of many foreign scouts. After Holland, he accompanied Kickstart FC coach Laxman Bhattarai in the U-19 trials in Esbjerg, Denmark. He has been a part of the Karnataka team at two editions of the Santosh Trophy and was awarded the Best Midfielder award in the BDFA Super Division 2020 season.
The Bengaluru-based NGO is helping young children from the underpreveliged ections of Bengaluru to make it big in professional football..
Last month, a team of 11 boys from Bengaluru underwent an all-expenses-paid, 10-day football skill development tour of Holland where they visited the cities of Eindhoven and Amsterdam. What was unique about this U19 team was that each of the boys who had never set foot outside the country before came from underprivileged sections of society in Bengaluru.
The 11 boys came from the Kickstart Foundation, a registered NGO which was established by Shekar Rajan and Laxman. Working in tandem with the Kickstart FC Academy which is a separate business venture, the foundation aims to provide top class football coaching at the grassroots level to underprivileged children in the city.
At the moment, the foundation runs in four separate areas of Bengaluru – Gowthampura, Murphy Town, Lingarajapuram and Pottery Town – where over 180 children hone their football skills on a regular basis under the supervision of highly trained coaches and experts.
The Bengaluru-based football club, Kickstart FC recently unveiled a landmark and first-of-its-kind association when it teamed up with the Premier League club, Tottenham Hotspur.
The collaboration will focus on the Spurs’ global football coaching team partnering up with the Indian club to help the local football players excel in the sport.
The global coaching unit of the Spurs will establish a training dominion and football curriculum for Kickstart FC which has specifically developed in the Tottenham Hotspur Academy. Tottenham’s technical staff will be present in Bengaluru to assist the club.
BENGALURU, Nov 28 (Reuters) – Tottenham Hotspur and Ange Postecoglou should not rein in the high-risk high-reward apporach that proved so successful in the first few weeks of the Premier League season despite recent defeats, former players Ossie Ardiles and Ledley King said.
Spurs, unbeaten in their first 10 league games under the Australian, making him the first coach to win the first three Manager of the Month awards available to him, have slipped from top spot to fifth on 26 points after three straight defeats.
Witnessing the meteoric rise of Indian football is nothing short of exhilarating. The dazzling performances of the Indian national team underscore the nation’s recognition of the sport’s significance and potential. To propel this growth, there’s a unanimous understanding – grassroots football improvement is paramount. As the country embraces the beautiful game, nurturing talent from the roots becomes the linchpin.
European powerhouse Tottenham Hotspur have stepped forward to aid India’s grassroots football growth. Ossie Ardiles, the 1978 FIFA World Cup winner, and another Spurs legend, Ledley King, touched down in Mumbai on 24 November for a series of events as part of the ‘Spurs in India’ campaign. Their mission is to ignite the flames of football development at the grassroots level.
Former England and Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King, emphasized the need for grassroots football development in India to become a global power.
Former England and Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King on Tuesday said though Indian football has progressed extensively in the last few years, the country needed to spread the sport more effectively at the grassroots level to emerge a true global power.
er captain, Ledley King. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Former England and Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King on Tuesday said though Indian football has progressed extensively in the last few years, the country needed to spread the sport more effectively at the grassroots level to emerge a true global power.
King attributed the considerable growth of football here to the Indian Super League
The Spurs’ global coaching wing will be seen developing training regimes and football curriculum for Kickstart FC which have been particularly designed in Tottenham Hotspur Academy.
The Premier League (PL) team, Tottenham Hotspur FC have signed an accord with the Bengaluru-based football club, Kickstart FC.
The partnership between the two bodies will enable the English club’s global football coaching team to work with the Indian club to prosper new talents in football.
The Spurs’ global coaching wing will be seen developing training regimes and football curriculum for Kickstart FC which have been particularly designed in the Tottenham Hotspur Academy. The technical staff of the English club will be present in Bengaluru to assist the club.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Global Football Development team has partnered with India’s Kickstart FC in a bid to support the development of local players and coaches in Bengaluru, India.
Kickstart FC is an Indian professional football club from Karnataka. Their women’s team participate in Indian Women’s League and the men’s side competes in the BDFA Super division, the third tier of Indian football.
In an official announcement made yesterday in Bengaluru, the partnership was unveiled with Tottenham club ambassadors Ledley King and Ossie Ardiles.
Spurs will lend expertise in the form of spurs global football coaching team using training methodology similar to that of the Spurs academy.
Grassroots football plays a pivotal role in the sport’s development in India, serving as the foundation for nurturing young talent and fostering a deep-rooted passion for the game. Investing in grassroots initiatives is crucial for identifying and honing the skills of aspiring players from a young age, providing them with the necessary coaching and infrastructure to thrive.
Moreover, partnering with international clubs brings invaluable benefits to Indian football. Collaboration with established entities facilitates the exchange of expertise, coaching methodologies, and technical know-how. These factors contribute to the ecosystem’s overall improvement in the country
Former England and Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King said though Indian football has progressed extensively in the last few years, the country needed to spread the sport more effectively at the grassroots to emerge a true global power.
King attributed the considerable growth of football here to the Indian Super League.
“We actually got a chance to go to an ISL game on Thursday to watch Bengaluru FC. We’re looking forward to that and that will give us a bigger indication of where the ISL is at now.
Kickstart Football Club on Tuesday announced a three-year partnership with English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur during an event at the Taj Hotel in Bengaluru.
(From left to right) Founder and CEO of Kickstart FC Laxman Bhattarai, Founder and Chairman of Kickstart FC Shekar Rajan, AIFF Vice President and MLA NA Haris, Osvaldo Ardiles and Ledley King exchange jerseys as Kickstart FC inks a partnership deal with Tottenham Hotspur in Bengaluru.
Kickstart Football Club on Tuesday announced a three-year partnership with English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur during an event at the Taj Hotel in Bengaluru.
In a move set to redefine the landscape of Indian football, Kickstart FC, a premier football club and academy based in Karnataka proudly announces a strategic partnership with renowned English Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Graced by Tottenham ambassadors Ledley King & Osvaldo Ardiles, the historic unveil marks a pivotal moment in Karnataka & Indian football development.
Through the partnership, Kickstart FC will avail technical support from Tottenham Hotspur’s Global Football Coaching Team – who will shape the club’s training, curriculum, and footballing aspects. Additionally, Tottenham Hotspur will also have their technical staff stationed in Bengaluru itself, to assist Kickstart FC in aligning their training methods with the English powerhouse.
Already boasting an impressive record – The club’s Women’s team, finished Runner’s Up in the recently concluded Indian Women’s League Tournament – Kickstart FC has always placed impetus on player development across categories. This partnership will therefore assist in cementing and further aligning the club’s efforts in the state of Karnataka.
BENGALURU: Premier League club Tottenham Hotspurs on Tuesday announced a three-year partnership with rising Bengaluru Super Division club Kickstart FC in the presence of former stars and club ambassadors Osvaldo Ardiles and Ledley King here.
The former FA Cup Winners’ first tie-up with an Indian club will see the Spurs provide technical support from their coaching team who will help Kickstart shape their training, curriculum, and footballing aspects.
Rangdajied United FC and Kickstart FC took a point each in a 2-2 draw in their Group C Third Division League (also known as I-League 3) match in Goa today morning.
In a contest that saw both teams hold the lead at different points in the game, Rangdajied scored via Arlangky Nongsiej (43’P) and Ieitlang Syiemlieh (57′) in between two goals from Khanngam Hora (3′, 68′) for Kickstart.
The Bangalore-based team, which had a Meghalayan in the ranks in the form of Aibiangmame Nongneng, started with a third minute lead as they dominated the early part of the match.
The exciting final of this season’s Hero Indian Women’s League awaits tonight as Kickstart FC and Gokulam Kerala FC are set to clash in the TransStadia for glory in the IWL’s 6th edition on 21st May.
The match will kick off at 6 PM and the final will be streamed live on Indian Football YouTube Channel. The Hero IWL 2022-23 season started last month with 16 teams, the highest number of teams in the league’s history. After 62 grueling matches, now there are only two teams left to be separated.
Thrilling semi-final wins on Friday saw both teams reach the final. Gokulam Kerala defeated Eastern Sporting Union by a 5-1 score, while Kickstart saw off a strong Sethu challenge with a 2-0 margin.
ickstart FC registered a narrow 1-0 victory over Kolhapur City in their Hero Indian Women’s League (IWL) Group A fixture on Thursday. Kavya P. scored the solitary goal of the match, in what was a moment of mesmerising brilliance.
The first half remained goal-less as both teams created chances, with Kickstart enjoying greater opportunities to score. However, some fine goalkeeping from Kolhapur keeper Shreya Hooda ensured the scoreline remained level.
Kolhapur did well to defend in compact spaces, reading the runs of Kickstart’s attacking duo of Kavya and Renu quite well. They seemed to have found the formula to neutralise the offense but struggled to strike back due to the lack of creativity in the final third.
The final matchday of the second season of Karnataka Women’s League Super Division took place on Sunday, December 22. Six teams — Bangalore United FC, Bangalore Soccer Galaxy, Belgaum United FA, Misaka United FC, Kickstart FC, Mangalore United FC and Parikrma Girls FC — participated in the league, which was held in a single leg format with each team getting six games.
Kickstart FC lead the points table with 12 points from four games while Bangalore United FC are second with nine points from as many games. BUFC currently have a better goal difference so that can be an interesting factor if it comes down to that. Mangalore United FC comtinue at the bottom of the pile as they stay without a win in four matches. Belgaum United FC is the only team to have played five games and are fifth in the table.
The 2021 Karnataka Women’s Super Division came to a thrilling end with Kickstart FC defending their crown successfully. Last year’s champions won the final game of the season 1-0 against Bengaluru United FC and thereby secured qualification to the Indian Women’s League (IWL) set to take place in Odisha next month.
As the tournament drew to a close, the Karnataka State Football Association (KSFA) President N.A. Haris said, “While we had full confidence in the capabilities of our team of officials at KSFA, the sponsorship by VNH Naidu Hall and the live broadcast by The Bridge certainly made this the best women’s state league in the country.”
AHMEDABAD: Kickstart FC outclassed and outplayed Churchill Brothers FC 10-0 in a Group B clash of the Hero Indian Women’s League, at the TransStadia, in Ahmedabad, on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
Kickstart forward Kaviya Pakkirisamy was adjudged the Hero of the Match for netting four goals in the second half, in an afternoon that capped off a supreme performance by the side from Karnataka. Kioko Elizabeth and Saru Limbu netted a brace each, while Bibicha Laishram and substitute Sonia Marak scored one each.
Kickstart FC opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Kenyan forward, Kioko Elizabeth Katungwa scored from an easy tap in to make it 1-0 to the team from Karnataka.
Saru Limbu, the Nepalese midfielder, collected a loose ball on the left flank and dribbled past two Churchill Brothers FC defenders to surge into the penalty box and finally released the ball for Kioko Elizabeth.
Bengaluru: Sports Odisha lost their first away game of the season of IWL 23-24 as they were downed by Kickstart FC, 2-1, at the Bangalore Football Stadium in Karnataka. A brace from Karishma (13’,33’) ensured victory for the home team while Kumari (27’) was the sole goal scorer for Sports Odisha. With the day’s result, Sports Odisha are yet to register points in their campaign, while Kickstart FC remain undefeated with nine points in three matches.
Sports Odisha had a challenging first half with Kickstart FC holding the lion’s share of possession. While Sports Odisha did look threatening in the first ten minutes, exploiting both flanks and servicing the box, their momentum stuttered when Kickstart FC took the lead in the 12th minute. On a quick breakaway, Kickstart’s Karishma burst through the Odisha defence to slot the ball in the back of net. In pursuit of the equalizer, Sports Odisha were awarded a penalty in the 26th minute, that was successfully converted by Kumari to make it 1-1. In the 32nd minute, Karishma doubled her tally for the day, heading the ball to make it 2-1 in Favour of Kickstart FC.
The second half saw no change to the scoreline. Sports Odisha was resolute in their defence, restricting Kickstart FC’s chances in front of goal, and improving their possession. However, Sports Odisha’s five shots on goals were unable to find the equalizer. While chance creation and finishing remain a challenge for Sports Odisha, they walked away with many positives against a very experienced Kickstart FC squad.
Kickstart FC started their 2023-24 Indian Women’s League Campaign with a win over HOPS FC, whereas the defending champions Gokulam Kerala FC were held to a goalless draw by Sethu FC.
Sethu, champions in 2018-19, executed their game plan perfectly but were certainly assisted by the sheer uncertainty displayed by Gokulam upfront. Unlike the free-flowing side they were last season, the home side often looked clueless despite having the lion’s share of the exchanges.
Gokulam are in second place with 10 points from four matches and Kickstart are in third position with eight points from five matches.
The hard-fought Indian Women’s League clash between holders Gokulam Kerala FC and Kickstart FC at the EMS Corporation Stadium on Friday, ended in a goalless draw.
While Gokulam are in second place with 10 points from four matches, Kickstart are in third position with eight points from five matches.
Kickstart FC bounced back from their first loss of the IWL season to comprehensively beat East Bengal 3-1 at the East Bengal Ground in Kolkata on Monday, February 5, 2024.
Kickstart were dominant from the get-go and delivered a swift response after their shocking 1-5 home loss to HOPS last week. The win sees the Bengaluru side keep their title hopes alive as they closed the gap to leaders Odisha FC to two points. East Bengal, on the other hand, remained in sixth place with four points from eight games.
Langam Chaoba Devi’s girls wasted no time to get off the mark, scoring the fastest goal of the season so far as defender Aruna Bag headed in Yumlembam Pakpi Devi’s corner after just 48 seconds. Kickstart were all over the hosts in the opening stages of the contest and came very near to doubling the advantage when Sonia Marak’s left-footed effort struck the crossbar in the sixth minute.
Kickstart Football Arena Pallotti Nilaya Rd, Chellikere, Meganahalli, Kalyan Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560043
Kickstart Football Arena, Kannuru,
No: 70, behind Petra Nilaya Convent,
Bengaluru, Karnataka 562149
Haribabu Venkatraman is a seasoned business leader with 25 years of international experience. A versatile player in mergers and acquisitions on the global stage, he is an expert in strategy management and change management. With a proven track record of overseeing business operations and driving growth opportunities, he currently serves as the CEO of King Pharma in Abu Dhabi. A football enthusiast, Haribabu is also passionate about developing the sport.
He has completed a coach educator program in France with PSG and in Holland with PSV. He was selected to lead the team that analyzed an international friendly game between Netherlands & Scotland which according to him is the highlight of his career. He brings in depth of knowledge from his travels to Italy (AS Roma), Germany (Frankfurt), Denmark (Esjberg FB), France (PSG) & Holland (PSV & Ajax) and aims to bring in the European style of Football management to Kickstart.
As the head coach of Kickstart FC Men’s team, he has won the Puttaiah Memorial Cup once (2022) and been a runner-up of the BDFA Super Division League twice (2019 & 2021).
With the women’s team, he has been a Karnataka Women’s League champion 5 times in a row. (2019 – 2024) & a runner up in the Indian Women’s League once (2023)
His vision is to nurture and help the youth of India reach the pinnacle of World Football.