New Delhi: Indian football administrators are eager to use an upcoming visit by FIFA president Sepp Blatter to give an impetus to the sport in the cricket-crazy country.

"The FIFA chief will visit India on March 9, giving us an opportunity to showcase the potential of football in our country," All India Football Federation secretary-general Kushal Das told The Associated Press on Thursday. "The world body is already helping us a lot but we could perhaps ask for more quantum of support."

Das said the visit is also being seen by AIFF as a chance to push for India's case for hosting the under-17 World Cup in 2017, which guarantees the host's participation in a world-level event.

"Hosting the under-17 World Cup will give us a chance to boost the image of Indian football. It is not just about hosting the event, but also about the fact that India will get to play in a World Cup for the first time, which could inspire a whole generation of players," Das added.