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JSW Sports joins One Future Football’s digital football league
Mumbai: JSW Sports, the sporting arm of the $23 billion JSW Group, has announced that it would be part of One Future Football’s (1FF) first-of-its-kind global, digital football league, as one of its founding members. The competition, which kicks off later this month, will see over 250 players from around the world compete in a groundbreaking tournament, where all teams and athletes have been created for the online space.
JSW Sports’ side, named Bengaluru Phoenix FC, is co-owned by Indian footballers Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan and cricketers Dhruv Jurel and Shafali Verma, is the only Indian team in the league. One of 12 teams in total, owners in the One Future Football League include Chris Smalling, Jesse Lingard, Patrice Evra, Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios and Kamaru Usman.
“At JSW Sports, our constant endeavour is to push the boundaries of sport, and One Future Football’s digital football league gives us the opportunity to do just that. The potential of Artificial Intelligence in sports is endless, and we are really eager to see this partnership develop. Our sports teams have seen much success in the real world, and we’re hoping that they are able to pick up some silverware in the 1FF League too,” said JSW Sports lead – strategy and legal Karan Bharadwaj.
A 1FF season lasts three months, with 11 weeks of regular rounds, followed by a finals week of play-offs and the grand finale. In keeping with attracting and engaging younger audiences, matches are streamed for free via eight-to-ten-minute highlight packages across social media.
The sport is powered by two unique artificial intelligence (AI) engines – one in-game and one outside of the field of play. The former determines thousands of outcomes per minute as the teams battle it out on the pitch whilst the latter (a narrative engine) establishes real-world situations for players outside of match days – positive scenarios like visiting charitable causes to more controversial ones like teammates fighting in training. These give 1FF a whole ecosystem for fans to fully immerse themselves in.
“The 1FF team has been working incredibly hard to build a tangible league that appeals to supporters all around the world – wherever they are from. As football fans we see the trends of young people not being able to connect with the sport owing to factors such as the inaccessibility and rising costs of supporting a stadium football team. When you also consider football’s increasing social and environmental impact on the planet we believed something had to be done, otherwise there is a real risk of losing a whole generation of fans,” said One Future Football CEO and co-founder Pete Davis.
The 11 other teams joining Bengaluru Phoenix FC are FC Angelenos (Los Angeles, USA), Naija United (Nigeria), Bondi FC (Australia), Clube de Futebol Brasil Amazônia (Brazil), Club Sportivo Palermo (Argentina), Inter Nusantara FC (Indonesia), Manhattan FC (USA), Paris St-Denis FC (France), Riyadh Stars FC (Saudi Arabia), South London United FC (England) and Tokyo Youth Club (Japan).
Each club has its own bespoke crest, kit and player roster as well as ownership from a-list talent who will lend their own expertise and access to their audiences. More information on 1FF and its League are available on onefuturefootball.com.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
