Work in sport.

Match your skills to a role

Tell us what you've studied, certified in, or done. We'll rank the role tracks where your background fits best.

12 career tracks in Indian sport

Sport employs far more than coaches and athletes. Each card below covers what you'd actually do, what to study, who hires, the certifying body, and realistic salary bands for entry and senior roles in India today.

Career pathway, stage by stage

There is no single route, but most successful careers in Indian sport move through these six stages over 8-12 years.

1. Stage 1

   Class 11-12

   Pick PCB / PCM if eyeing Physio, Nutrition or Sports Science. Continue competitive sport at school level.

   School sport pathways →
2. Stage 2

   Undergraduate

   BPEd, BSc Sports Science, BPT, BBA Sports Mgmt, or any graduate degree + start NSF Level 1 coaching / officiating courses in parallel.

   Federations directory →
3. Stage 3

   Postgraduate / Diploma

   NIS Patiala Diploma (Coaching), MPT (Sports), MSc S&C, PG Sports Mgmt (IISM / NSU). This is where most HP careers are unlocked.

4. Stage 4

   Internships (1-2 yrs)

   Intern with SAI NCOEs, franchise teams, federations or sports media houses. Most senior recruiters require 2+ years of applied work.

   Open academies →
5. Stage 5

   Specialist roles (3-7 yrs)

   Move into franchise / NSF / Khelo India full-time roles. Build a portfolio of athletes, publications or seasons delivered.

   View live openings →
6. Stage 6

   Senior / Leadership (8+ yrs)

   Head Coach, HP Director, CEO of league / franchise, federation Secretary. Often combined with consulting or media work.

Where to study

A short list of institutes whose graduates show up most often on franchise and federation rosters.

Who's hiring in Indian sport

Step-by-step career guides

Full how-to walkthroughs for the most-asked role pathways — eligibility, fees, exams and certifying bodies.

• Coach

  How to become a certified cricket coach in India

  BCCI Level 1-3 coaching certification, eligibility, fees, and the path to a state or franchise role.

  BCCI · National Cricket Academy (NCA)
  1. Step 1
     Play organised cricket at school, club or university level for at least 2 seasons.
  2. Step 2
     Register for the BCCI Level 1 coaching course through your State Cricket Association.
  3. Step 3
     Clear the written, practical and on-field assessment to earn Level 1 certification.
  4. Step 4
     Coach at a registered academy or school for a minimum of 2 years before applying for Level 2.
  5. Step 5
     Progress through Level 2 and Level 3 (NCA, Bengaluru) to qualify for state and franchise roles.
  Qualifications: Age 21+ · Class 12 pass (Level 1), Graduate (Level 2+) · Playing experience certificate from a recognised body
• Medical

  Career path: Sports Physiotherapist

  BPT, MPT in Sports, internships and a route into national camps, IPL franchises and Olympic centres.

  Indian Association of Physiotherapy (IAP) · SAI
  1. Step 1
     Complete a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) — a 4.5-year programme from an Indian Association of Physiotherapy (IAP) recognised institute.
  2. Step 2
     Specialise with a Master of Physiotherapy (MPT) in Sports — typically 2 years.
  3. Step 3
     Intern with a state association, NIS Patiala, or a franchise league team for hands-on exposure.
  4. Step 4
     Register with your State Council of Physiotherapy.
  5. Step 5
     Apply for openings at SAI training centres, franchise teams, NSFs or private high-performance gyms.
  Qualifications: Class 12 with PCB · BPT degree · MPT (Sports) preferred · State Council registration
• Media

  How to become a sports journalist in India

  From a journalism degree to the press box — beats, languages, and how the digital shift changed the brief.

  Sports Journalists' Federation of India · Indian Newspaper Society
  1. Step 1
     Complete a degree in journalism, mass communication or a related field.
  2. Step 2
     Build a portfolio: match reports, player features, opinion pieces on a personal blog or Substack.
  3. Step 3
     Intern with a print, digital or broadcast newsroom — regional language outlets often hire faster.
  4. Step 4
     Pick a beat: cricket is crowded, but football, kabaddi, athletics and women's sport reward specialists.
  5. Step 5
     Acquire video, social and short-form skills — every modern beat is multi-format.
  Qualifications: Bachelor's degree · Strong English / regional language writing · Portfolio of published work
• Officiating

  How to become a referee or umpire in Indian sport

  Certification pathways for cricket umpires, football referees, kabaddi officials and more.

  BCCI · AIFF
  1. Step 1
     Pick your sport and locate the relevant National Sports Federation (NSF) officiating wing.
  2. Step 2
     Register for the state-level officiating course (cricket: BCCI Level 1 Umpiring; football: AIFF D-License Referee).
  3. Step 3
     Clear the written and on-field assessments.
  4. Step 4
     Officiate state-level matches for the minimum required seasons (usually 2-3).
  5. Step 5
     Apply for national panel inclusion through your state association.
  Qualifications: Age 21+ for most sports · Class 12 pass · Medical fitness certificate

Live job openings

A curated set of current openings across academies, franchises and federations.

• Head Coach, Badminton

  Padukone Academy · Bengaluru · Lead the elite squad and oversee junior pathway.
  Full-time
  2 days ago
• Strength & Conditioning Coach

  Inspire Institute of Sport · Vijayanagar · S&C for boxing and wrestling residents.
  Full-time
  1 week ago
• Sports Physiotherapist

  SAI NCOE Bengaluru · Bengaluru · Rehab and injury prevention for resident athletes.
  Contract
  3 days ago
• Performance Video Analyst

  Bengaluru FC · Bengaluru · Opposition analysis and match clip workflows.
  Full-time
  5 days ago
• Academy Manager

  Tata Football Academy · Jamshedpur · Operations lead for residential football academy.
  Full-time
  2 weeks ago
• Marketing Manager

  Hockey India League · New Delhi · Brand, partnerships and city activations for HIL.
  Full-time
  1 day ago
• Sports Nutritionist

  Tata Football Academy · Jamshedpur · Build menus and supplementation plans for U-15 to U-19.
  Contract
  1 week ago
• Grassroots Coach

  Khelo India Centre, Shillong · Shillong · U-12 to U-15 development squads.
  Full-time
  6 days ago
• Cricket Data Engineer

  BCCI Centre of Excellence · Bengaluru · Ball-tracking pipelines and player workload analytics.
  Full-time
  Today
• Editorial Intern

  SportSupport.in · Remote · Write features and player profiles for our sports portal.
  Internship
  Today
• Chair Umpire (ITF certified)

  AITA · New Delhi · Officiate ITF futures and AITA national circuit events.
  Contract
  3 days ago

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to have been a national-level athlete to work in sport?

No. Coaching and officiating value playing experience, but physiotherapy, analytics, nutrition, media, marketing, ops, tech and administration all hire from academic and professional backgrounds with no elite playing record required.

What is the single most useful qualification in Indian sport?

For coaching, the NIS Patiala Diploma. For physio, an MPT (Sports). For management, an IISM / NSU MBA. For analytics, a strong portfolio of tagged matches and dashboards matters more than any degree.

Where do entry-level jobs actually get posted?

Most openings circulate through federation websites, franchise LinkedIn pages, SAI notifications, Khelo India bulletins, and word-of-mouth via NIS / IISM alumni networks. We aggregate a curated set on this page.

Can I work in Indian sport while based outside the metros?

Yes. State SAI centres, Khelo India accredited academies, district sports authorities and regional sports media outlets hire locally. Remote roles exist in analytics, content, design and tech.

What does a typical first year look like?

Expect long hours, low entry pay (₹20-40k/month at most franchises), travel, and rapid responsibility. The compounding is steep: experienced specialists with 5-7 years of franchise work earn multiples of corporate-track peers.

Post a role or academy hiring brief

Academies, franchises, federations and schools can submit openings for free. Every listing is manually reviewed before it appears on the live openings list.