Sunil Chhetri joins FIFA Player Impact Programme as first male participant

NEW DELHI Former India men’s national team captain Sunil Chhetri has been selected for the second edition of the FIFA Player Impact Programme, becoming the first male participant in the initiative, according to an All India Football Federation (AIFF) media release. Building upon its successful female-only pilot in 2025, the programme has expanded to bring together 13 footballers from across the world. Of these, 11 participants, including Chhetri, gathered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, in June for a three-day Impact Accelerator Workshop.

The course aims to empower players to harness their voices, platforms and resources to drive positive social change. Chhetri joins the international line-up featuring FIFA Women’s World Cup winner Alexia Putellas of Spain, Canada’s Jessie Fleming, England’s Michelle Agyemang, Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade and Brazil’s Gabi Nunes, among others. Speaking about his participation in the programme, Chhetri said, as per the release, “I’m really happy that I got this opportunity.

I cannot wait to put those lessons into practice.