In 2015, the Sports & Management Research Institute (SMRI), India’s leading sports research, training, and consultancy organisation, was born. SMRI emerged from ten bold questions that an ordinary Indian often hesitates to ask.
One of the most powerful among them was:

“Why can’t India win the Football World Cup?”

Since 2015, SMRI has been relentlessly working to find answers to these questions through research, dialogue, and action.

In 2018, SMRI published the first edition of Oru Football Bhranthan­te Diary (Chronicles of a Football Freak), written by Sijin BT, sports management guru and founder of SMRI, and Dr Indulekha R. The book established a powerful belief that India can win the Football World Cup, supported by examples, insights, and comparative perspectives from global sport.

In October 2022, SMRI released the first edition of Game Plan to Win Football World Cup, authored by Sijin BT and Dr Indulekha R. This book presented a structured roadmap outlining the systemic changes and long-term strategies required for India to become the Football World Cup champions.

Inspired by Denzel Washington’s words: “Dreams without goals are just dreams…” SMRI initiated detailed studies to determine a realistic timeline:

When can India win the Football World Cup?

SMRI’s research concluded that India can win the Football World Cup in 2066. Moreover, I CAN INDIA CAN, a book written by Aerin Sarah Saj, our sports psychology intern, gave us maximum confidence that INDIA CAN do it, because India and Indians have done many wonders already.

This finding transformed the dream into a measurable long-term national goal.

With this vision in mind, SMRI launched Project GOAL 2066 — a long-term movement aimed at empowering India to become the Football World Cup champions in 2066 through systemic reform, grassroots development, and collective national effort.