Virat Kohli, Indian international cricketer, former captain of the national team, and co-owner of FC Goa, an Indian Super League football club, voiced his support for Forca Goa Foundation (FGF) and Delta Corp’s ‘Fields of Dreams’ project on Friday.

With the aim to boost grassroots-level football, Forca Goa Foundation, the community wing of FC Goa, launched the ‘Field of Dreams’ project in association with Delta Corp Limited, earlier this month.

Speaking on the launch of the project, Kohli said, “Six years ago, the Forca Goa Foundation started working in grassroots football in India. The Foundation started a revolution by investing in pitches across the state of Goa, to keep the dreams of young kids alive. Infrastructure and access is one of the key pillars for any sport to develop and for a nation to be world-class in that sport.”

“As I grew up in Delhi, I had to deal with challenges such as the lack of access to the best facilities. I was at least privileged enough to play at my coaching centre, but I also saw that many kids around me didn’t have the same opportunity. The lack of access and opportunities is what kills a young sportsperson’s dreams,” Kohli added.

“They say, ‘In dreams, we plant the seeds of our future.’ I’m very proud of our club, FC Goa, and the Forca Goa Foundation for launching the ‘Fields of Dreams’ project. We thank everyone for supporting this great initiative,” Kohli concluded.

Under the ‘Fields of Dreams’ project, Forca Goa Foundation aims to enhance the lives of children and communities in the country, starting with Goa with the financial support of Delta Corp. As it does so, the project also aims to bridge the gap in grassroots football development by facilitating state-of-the-art football grounds accessible to all.

The initiative intends to redefine what grassroots football can do for Goa and India by creating spaces where the local community can truly be uplifted and have access to opportunities previously unavailable to them.

The revamped football grounds are equipped with a state-of-the-art playing surface with a sand base, efficient drainage and sprinkling systems, and other necessary infrastructure.

Delta Corp, a gaming and hospitality company, has said that it aims to uplift the sports culture in India and Goa with the launch of the ‘Field of Dreams’ project. Through this project, it claims that the sports infrastructure will be further strengthened to benefit local communities, providing them with improved sports facilities and opportunities.