The Western India Football Association (WIFA) is the governing body of football for Maharashtra state. It is affiliated to the All India Football Federation, the governing body of football for India. WIFA came into existence on 12th July, 1911, with the objective to promote and develop football in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Shri. Praful M. Patel is its current President and Prof. Dr. Kiran Chougule is its current Hon. Secretary.
Though WIFA was born in 1911, it does not mean that there was no organised and competitive football in Maharashtra before that. In fact the second oldest tournament in the country, the Rovers Cup, was inaugurated in Mumbai as far back as 1891. Some British football enthusiasts got together in 1890, formed the Rovers Cup Committee, and brought into being this tournament. The Trophy, however, took shape in the following year. Half a dozen teams, mostly military, took part in the competition, and the 1st Worcester Regiment had the proud distinction of winning the Cup in the first year of its inception. It may be noted that Mr. C. W. Lauder, Sailor’s Home, Bombay was the Joint Honorary Secretary of the Rovers Cup Committee.
In 2011, after seeing a sudden increase of Football in India, WIFA decided to revamp the Maharashtra Football System. The first thing we decided to do was renovate Mumbai’s only National football stadium, the Cooperage Ground, which was completed by 2014. This was done with the support and blessings of FIFA, AIFF and our president Shri. Praful M. Patel.