The project is set to debut in Bengaluru, with the inaugural Super Nova Football Championship scheduled for September 5 and 6. The tournament will feature competition across three age categories: Under-13, Under-15, and Under-17. This launch marks a strategic pivot for Capri Sports, moving from a focus on professional team acquisition toward developing a sustainable talent pipeline for the future of Indian sport.
Building a Structured Pathway for Female Talent
According to Capri Sports Director and Promoter
The development model is multifaceted, incorporating grassroots academies, residential training facilities, and international exposure trips. To ensure accessibility, Nova will partner with schools that lack the internal resources to run their own football programs, providing the necessary coaching and operational support. Furthermore, the company is exploring partnerships with existing private academies to accelerate its national expansion, allowing the network to grow beyond what a single entity could achieve alone.
Strategic Growth and Future Accessibility
Bengaluru was selected as the launch site due to the city's existing sporting culture and parental support, providing an ideal environment to test the program's framework. While the initial commercial model will rely on participation fees, Sharma emphasized that the company is actively developing solutions to ensure that financial barriers do not exclude talented players from smaller towns and cities. Plans for subsidized models are currently being considered to support those who may not be able to afford standard academy fees.
While the current focus is strictly on football, the long-term vision for Nova is to become a sport-agnostic platform that remains committed to a girls-first philosophy. The program is currently operating independently of the All India Football Federation, though future collaboration remains a possibility as the academies seek accreditation. For now, the immediate priority remains the successful execution of the Super Nova Championship and the establishment of a robust, scalable system to keep more girls engaged in the sport.
