Robert Pires joins Indian Football League

Former Arsenal and France winger Robert Pires has agreed to participate in the newly-formed Indian Football League.

The competition has been created to rival to cricket's Indian Premier League and will see players auctioned off to the highest bidders.

Pires, 38, has joined Hernan Crespo, Maniche, Jay-Jay Okocha, Robbie Fowler, Fernando Morientes, Fabio Cannavaro and Pablo Sorin in agreeing to play in the tournament.

"We have signed seven 'icon' players for the auction and each of the six teams will have one such player with a £392,000 salary cap," said Bhaswar Goswami, executive director of Celebrity Management Group.

The league will start on Saturday, February 25.