Exclusive: How Dream Sports Foundation is transforming India's sports landscape beyond cricket
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Exclusive: How Dream Sports Foundation is transforming India's sports landscape beyond cricket Photograph: (X)
WION spoke exclusively with Neel Shah, CEO of Dream Sports Foundation, about the organization's mission, achievements, and vision for Indian sports development.
The Indian sports ecosystem is experiencing unprecedented growth as the nation establishes its identity beyond cricket. At the forefront of this transformation is the Dream Sports Foundation (DSF), an organisation dedicated to bridging critical gaps in India's sporting infrastructure.
Through data-driven programs and world-class competitions like the Dream Sports Championship and the Dream UTT Juniors, DSF is reshaping how young athletes develop and pursue professional careers in sports.
WION spoke exclusively withNeel Shah, CEO of Dream Sports Foundation, about the organization's mission, achievements, and vision for Indian sports development.
Q: What is the core mission of Dream Sports Foundation and how does it operate?
Answer: Dream Sports Foundation is aligned with Dream Sports’ larger vision of making sports better across India. Our primary focus is on youth development, and we want sports to be recognized as a viable career pathway for young people — something that's absolutely crucial for the future of Indian sports.
We achieve our objectives through several key initiatives. First, we organize high-quality competitions by selecting specific sports and creating best-in-class tournaments. Additionally, we invest heavily in upskilling coaches, sports scientists, and administrators through comprehensive education programs.
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One of our most innovative approaches involves athlete intelligence — we conduct data assessments for youth across India to help them understand their performance metrics better. This information is equally valuable for coaches and parents, giving them insights into each athlete's potential and areas for improvement.
Question:What initiatives has DSF undertaken to promote football development in India?
Answer: We introduced our flagship tournament IP — Dream Sports Championship — with a football edition in 2024. Since then, it has seen remarkable growth across its two editions in 2024 and 2025. In 2024, the U-17 football tournament featured 37 teams, including youth sides of six ISL and three I-League teams.
The 2025 edition saw significant expansion, featuring 44 teams in total — including an international team and 8 girls' teams that competed directly in the national finals. This year, the national finals were held in Goa, where players stayed in quality accommodations and received the best facilities.
Representing the international side, Norwich City’s U17 boys’ team from England entered with the advantage of professional training and team cohesion. And while you might expect them to dominate, several of our Indian boys' and girls' teams delivered truly impressive performances that showcased the emerging talent in Indian football.
The tournament also allowed for real-time live streaming of the matches on the FanCode appas well as top-level playing surfaces, giving the participants the best possible exposure. As part of our 'Dream Again' initiative, we also conducted workshops with top athletes like Subrata Paul and Joe Shulberg, Norwich City's Academy Manager and former goalkeeper, who brought their international expertise and conducted specialised sessions covering various aspects of football development.
Question:How has DSF contributed to raising table tennis standards in India?
Answer: We have helped elevate the table tennis experience in India through the Dream Sports Championship table tennis event. This competition featured top 60 under-15 players from India, along with 12 international participants, creating an incredibly competitive environment.
The impact extended beyond the tournament itself. As the Youth Development partner of the Ultimate Table Tennis League, DSF launched the inaugural Dream UTT Juniors, a U-15 Table Tennis tournament curated to provide professional league experience to emerging table tennis talent. Sixteen athletes who participated in the DSC TT tournament— eight boys and eight girls were selected for the Dream UTT Juniors. This gave them invaluable exposure to a professional sporting environment, providing a taste of what a career in table tennis could look like.
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Q. How is the Dream Sports Foundation leveraging sports science and technology to enhance athlete development in India?
Answer: Dream Sports Foundation is revolutionizing Indian sports through science-backed initiatives that directly support youth development and align with India's Olympic aspirations. Beginning with athlete intelligence and data assessments, the Dream Sports Foundation provides performance metrics that help coaches and parents better understand each athlete’s potential and needs. This data-driven approach enables more precise talent identification and evidence-based development pathways.
A robust tech stack that can power this entire ecosystem end-to-end — from identifying and tracking to insights and analysis — ensuring scalable insights is the need of the hour. With layered technology in place, the Dream Sports Foundation is laying the groundwork for a future where data will guide athlete development over the next 8–10 years, transforming how India nurtures its sporting talent.
