Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said that a football academy will be set up in the city along with a sports university.

The CM who arrived at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium to watch the match between Mexico and Chile of the ongoing FIFA Under 17 world cup, said that the grand event was successful due to the support of the people of the entire region.

“We have already decided to set up a football academy here in Guwahati. I’m personally in touch with the union sports minister for the arrangements including the coaches who will be appointed here,” Sonowal told reporters ahead of the Mexico-Chile match.

He also said that the union sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore will soon visit the city to discuss more on the project.

“The sports minister will also let us know about the Centre’s plan for the state and the city. So, we are very much hopeful that it’s going to take place soon. Besides, we are also planning to establish a sports university here in Guwahati like the one in Imphal,” Sonowal added.

The planning of the university is at the very initial stage though.

The CM credited the people of the state and the region for the successful sporting events in the last several months in Guwahati.

“The support of the people of the region has been enormous and so this government can march ahead in realizing the dream of making Guwahati, the sports capital of the country. Football has always been in the blood our people for generations… Among all the sports we love football. People from distant places have arrived to witness the matches…which have brought goodwill among us. It has helped us to go ahead…,” Sonowal added.

After the FIFA World Cup, Guwahati will host World Junior Women Boxing Championship and South Asian Senior Men Boxing Championship in the next couple of months. The Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium will also host Indian Super League (ISL) matches once the World Cup gets over.