Indian players and officials commend AIFF’s partnership

Daniel Foley21/07/2020 8:00 am21/07/2020

Indian players and officials have complimented All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) partnership with Odisha Sports.

The partnership started in 2018 with the state of Odisha hosting a number of soccer teams such as Indian Arrows who compete in India’s national league and the Senior Indian Women’s team. The AIFF said that these teams have been able to use Odisha’s “state of the art facilities and infrastructure”.

“The MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Government of Odisha has had a major impact on the development of Indian Football. A number of teams have been hosted and trained making use of the State of the Art facilities at the Kalinga Stadium complex,” AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said.

“I thank the Government of Odisha for their invaluable support and look forward to continuing the relationship strengthening the efforts for the continued growth of the sport in the country.”

The facilities available in Odisha include Kalinga Stadium, a high performance centre and the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology which has been used as a residential base, but also has training facilities perfect for Indian players and officials.

“Sports continues to be a top priority for the Government of Odisha,” Amarjit Kiyam said – a member of India’s national team and former player at the Indian Arrows.

“The Odisha High Performance Centre for National Youth Teams mark a convergence between the vision of the Govt. of Odisha and the All India Football Federation.

“The Govt. of Odisha, along with AIFF, is committed to strengthening the roots of Indian Football at the youth level in Odisha and India,” said Shri Vishal Kumar Dev, Commissioner and Secretary, Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha.

“This is a unique initiative, one, which other States would also do well to emulate, and thereby contribute to rapid development of the Indian Football landscape.

“Other than the HPC, Bhubaneswar is also one of the venues for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2021, as well as the eagerly anticipated World Cup qualifier between India and Qatar. This has led to tremendous excitement amongst the football aficionados of the state, all of whom are eagerly awaiting resumption of football action.”

Bhubaneswar is the capital of Odisha which is located in the east of India.

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

Patrick Irving16/04/2026 8:55 am16/04/2026

Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

Patrick Irving15/04/2026 6:05 am14/04/2026

Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.