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[caption id="attachment_12319" align="alignnone" width="580"] AIFF President Praful Patel has set a target for Indian team to qualify for 2022 FIFA WC in Qatar . File Pic[/caption] Internet Desk: All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Praful Patel has set a target for the national football team to qualify for the 2022FIFA World Cup in Qatar. According to the AIFF President, qualifying in six years’ time would be the perfect opportunity to capitalise on the vast support for the national team during the first ever FIFA World Cup in the Middle East. “We will aspire towards qualifying for the 2022 World Cup because of the support our national team is going to receive and will need to ensure that right steps are taken towards realising this objective,” said Patel. The AIFF President has also announced that they will bid for the U-20 FIFA World Cup as part of its drive to further develop the game in the country. India will be hosting the Under-17 FIFA World Cup next year and Patel said the progress made and publicity gained since winning the rights to host the Under-17 global event for the first time will help in bidding for the Under-20 FIFA World Cup. "Under-17 World Cup next year will be the defining moment of Indian football. We have had intense focus on the Under-16 and Under-17 age-groups and will ensure the national team spends the next few years training and playing together," Patel said. "They will give their best during the Under-17 World Cup next year and following the tournament we will bid for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. We have told the FIFA Competitions Committee that we are keen to host the event at the earliest available opportunity in 2019, and this will further give a boost to our grassroots initiatives," the AIFF chief told a sports website. Patel said the hosting of FIFA Under-20 World Cup will help in facilitating the continued development of the next generation of Indian footballers. He said India must ensure that 'right steps' were taken as it targets qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. "We will aspire towards qualifying for the 2022 World Cup because of the support our national team is going to receive and will need to ensure that right steps are taken towards realising this objective," said Patel, who is also an AFC Vice President. "Many of the current Under-16 boys will be a well-knit group and will be ready for national team duty in time for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, which will start around the same time.