New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS): The second edition of the STAIRS School Football League (SSFL) will see the participation of 288 schools from the capital, it was announced here on Wednesday.

With confirmation of participation by 288 schools comprising 32 girls' teams and 256 boys' teams -- the league will engage over 4,000 budding footballers in Delhi. The event will witness 600 matches being played over a span of 90 days, making it the biggest as well as the longest football league being played at the school level, the organisers said.

The press launch of the event was organised at the Thyagraj Sports Complex here in the presence of Sri Lankan cricket legend Sanath Jayasuriya and Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi.

The event will begin with league matches at over 10 different venues across four zones in Delhi while the semi-finals and the final will be played at the central venue. All the school teams intending to participate also have to go through the qualifier rounds.

"The message from the response of the schools and the budding footballers is clear: There is a great talent mushrooming at the grassroots and all that it needs is a right platform and little support.

"While we have created a largest platform for football talent scouting, we are hoping that the fraternity makes use of this opportunity and the country's football mentors come forward to select and nurture the potential football stars of the country,” STAIRS founder and secretary general Siddhartha Upadhyay said.