There is something extraordinary about football that no other sport quite replicates. All you need is a ball. That is the beauty of the game. Football belongs to everyone. Whether it’s a child playing barefoot in a village, youngsters on the streets of Mumbai, students in school playgrounds, professionals unwinding after work, or elite athletes competing on the world’s biggest stage, the game remains the same. The rules don’t change. The joy doesn’t change.

That is why I believe football is the world’s most democratic sport. As someone who has spent decades in India’s sports and fitness industry, I have had the privilege of meeting athletes, coaches, parents, educators, retailers, and sports enthusiasts from every walk of life. One common thread connects them all-the belief that sport has the power to transform lives.