New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS): The draw for the inaugural edition of the Hero Futsal Club Championship 2021-22 was conducted over video conferencing on Thursday.

The draw ceremony was preceded by a meeting of the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee.

The committee observed a one-minute silence as a mark of respect to committee deputy chairman Lavino J Rebello.

"This is a path breaking moment in Indian Futsal. It is something that we would have done a couple of years earlier, had COVID not hit us. However, this is a great start to Futsal in India, and I wish all the clubs good luck," said AIFF general secretary Kushal Das.

Leagues CEO Dhar stated: "We have held many workshops for the last one and a half years with the State FAs, and so many of them were subsequently able to hold their state Futsal leagues."

"Due to the growing popularity of the game, we have decided that from the coming year, there will be no direct entries. The Hero Indian Super League and the Hero I-League clubs will also have to participate in the state leagues, thus increasing the number of matches," he added.

Following the Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee meeting, the Futsal Club Championship draw was conducted at the Football House in New Delhi, with representatives from all the clubs witnessing the draw via video conferencing.

The groupings for the Futsal Club Championship 2021-22:

Group A: Chanmari Zothan Futsal, Super Strikers FC, Baroda FC, Mohammedan SC.

Group B: Kuppuraj FC, Speed Force FC, Sporting Clube de Goa, Bengaluru FC.

Group C: Telongjem FC, Delhi FC, Niaw Wasa United Sports & Cultural Club, TRAU FC.

Group D: Real Kashmir FC, Classic Football Academy, Mangal Club, Sudeva Delhi FC.