Indian football league system
The Indian football league system is the league structure of football club competitions in India. The highest level of men's club football competition in India is the Indian Super League.[1][2] Indian Women's League, founded in 2016, is the highest level of women's football club competition in India.[3]
Men's
The Indian men's football league system consists of top 3 national divisions organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and partners. From tier 4 are the various regional state football leagues, organised by state associations under AIFF affiliation.
| Level | League | Organiser |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Super League 11 clubs |
AIFF FSDL |
| ↓↑ (relegation from 2024–25) | ||
| 2 | I-League 12 clubs |
AIFF |
| ↓↑ | ||
| 3 | I-League 2nd Division TBA clubs |
AIFF |
| ↓↑ (qualifiers) | ||
| 4–10 | State leagues | State FAs |
Pyramid
| Level | League(s) / Division(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National leagues | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Indian Super League 11 clubs ↓ relegation from 2024-25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | I-League 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | I-League 2nd Division TBA clubs ↑ promote | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regional State leagues | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level in state | West Bengal [note 1] |
Maharastra [note 2] |
Tamil Nadu [note 3] |
Delhi | Jammu and Kashmir | Karnataka [note 4] |
Odisha | Meghalaya [note 5] |
Manipur | Assam [note 6] |
Goa | Punjab | Sikkim | Tripura | Mizoram | Arunachal Pradesh | Bihar | Chhattisgarh | Gujarat | Himachal Pradesh | Jharkhand | Kerala [note 7] |
Madhya Pradesh | Nagaland | Rajasthan | Telangana | Uttar Pradesh [note 8] |
Uttarakhand | ||
| 4 | 1 | CFL Premier Division
↓relegate |
MFA Elite League
↓relegate |
CFA Senior Division
↓relegate |
Delhi Premier League
↓relegate |
J&K Premier Football League
↓relegate |
Bangalore Super Division
↓relegate |
FAO Diamond League
↓relegate |
Shillong Premier League
↓relegate |
Manipur State League
↓relegate |
Assam State Premier League (GSA Super Division Football League)
↓relegate |
Goa Professional League
↓relegate |
Punjab State Super Football League
↓relegate |
Sikkim Premier Division League
↓relegate |
Chandra Memorial A Division League
↓relegate |
Mizoram Premier League
↓relegate |
Indrajit Namchoom Arunachal League | Bihar State Soccer League | Chhattisgarh State Men's Football League Championship | GFA Senior Division League | Himachal Football League | JSA League[4] | Kerala Premier League | Madhya Pradesh Premier League | Nagaland Premier League | R-League A Division | Telangana Rahim League | Lucknow Super Division | Uttarakhand Super League | |
| 5 | 2 | CFL Premier Division B
↑promote ↓relegate |
MFA Super Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
First Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
FD Senior Division League
↑promote ↓relegate |
J&K Super Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
Bangalore League A Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
FAO Gold League
↑promote ↓relegate |
First Division League
↑promote ↓relegate |
AMFA Cup
↑promote ↓relegate |
GSA A Division Football League
↑promote ↓relegate |
GFA 1st Division League
↑promote ↓relegate |
Punjab State League Second Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
Sikkim B Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
Chandra Memorial B Division League
↑promote ↓relegate |
Mizoram 1st Division League
↑promote |
single division | |||||||||||||
| 6 | 3 | CFL First Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
MFA Division One
↑promote ↓relegate |
Second Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
FD B-Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
J&K A-Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
Bangalore League B Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
FAO Silver League
↑promote ↓relegate |
Second Division League
↑promote ↓relegate |
Thangjam Birchandra-Maipakpi Memorial Winners' Cup
↑promote ↓relegate |
GSA B Division Football League
↑promote ↓relegate |
GFA 2nd Division League
↑promote |
Punjab State League Third Division
↑promote |
Sikkim C Division
↑promote |
Chandra Memorial C Division League
↑promote |
2 divisions | ||||||||||||||
| 7 | 4 | CFL Second Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
MFA Division Two
↑promote ↓relegate |
Third Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
FD C-Division
↑promote |
J&K B-Division
↑promote |
Bangalore League C Division | FAO 2nd Division League
↑promote |
Third Division League
↑promote |
Manipur District Leagues
↑promote |
GSA C Division Football League
↑promote |
3 divisions | ||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 5 | CFL Third Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
MFA Division Three
↑promote |
Fourth Division
↑promote |
4 divisions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 6 | CFL Fourth Division
↑promote ↓relegate |
5 divisions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 7 | CFL Fifth Division
↑promote | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Evolution
| Leagues | Years | 1888 | 1893–1898 | 1898–1941 | 1941–1977 | 1977–1996 | 1996–1997 | 1997–2001 | 2001–2006 | 2006–2007 | 2007–2011 | 2011–2014 | 2014–2019 | 2019–2022 | 2022– | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | None | 1893 | 1937 | |||||||||||||
| National leagues | 1 | Formation of Indian Football Association (IFA) | Calcutta Football League | Formation of All India Football Federation (AIFF) | Santosh Trophy | National Football League | I-League | Indian Super League | Indian Super league | |||||||
| I-League | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | None | None | NFL Second Division | I-League 2nd Division | I-League | |||||||||||
| 3 | None | NFL Third Division | Discontinued | I-League 2nd division | ||||||||||||
| Regional leagues | 4–10 | State football leagues | ||||||||||||||
| Tournaments/Cups | Durand Cup | Durand Cup | ||||||||||||||
| IFA Shield | IFA Shield | |||||||||||||||
| Federation Cup | Super Cup | |||||||||||||||
| Indian Super Cup | Discontinued | |||||||||||||||
| Santosh Trophy | ||||||||||||||||
| Indian Super League | Declared as joint top tier leagues along with I-League | Declared as the highest tier league | ||||||||||||||
Women's
The women's football league system in India currently consists of 1 top tier national league i.e. Indian Women's League, organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). From tier 2 are the State football leagues, organised by regional state associations under AIFF affiliation, in the league tier pyramid of women's football in India.
Pyramid
|
Level |
League(s) / Division(s) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Indian Women's League | |||
| ↑ Variable (League and Qualifier winners, depending on licensing criteria) | ||||
|
2 |
State leagues (qualifiers) | |||
National Football Championships
The National Football Championships are football knock-out competitions contested among the regional state associations and government institutions under the AIFF. Currently there are 6 championship competitions divided as age groups for both men and women. For sponsorship ties it is referred as Hero National Football Championships.
Senior NFC (Santosh Trophy)
The Santosh Trophy[5] is a men's football competition contested by the regional state associations and government institutions under the AIFF. Before the starting of the National Football League in 1996, the Santosh Trophy was considered the top domestic championship in India.
Senior Women's NFC
Senior Women's National Football Championship[6] is the women's football tournament which is contested among the regional state, territory federations and government institutions of India. It began to play in 1991. The league consisted of 30 teams for the 2019–20 season.
Junior NFC & Sub-Junior NFC
The Junior National Football Championship or BC Roy Trophy[7] is for the Junior age groups, which was started in 1962. All affiliated State Units of AIFF are eligible to participate in this championship through the two tiers of the competition which is played across the country.
The Sub Junior National Football Championship or Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy[8] is a national level inter-state championship for boys under the age of 16, which was started in 1977. All affiliated State Units of AIFF are eligible to participate in this championship through the qualifying round.
Junior Girls' NFC & Sub-Junior Girls' NFC
The U-19 Junior Girls' National Football Championship[9] was first introduced in the year 2001. This championship National Level inter-state championship, which is played every year at one venue chosen by the AIFF Executive Committee. All affiliated State Associations of AIFF are eligible to participate in this Championship, which is played on league-cum-knockout basis.
The U-17 Sub-Junior Girls' National Football Championship[10] was first introduced in the year 2003, which was held at Ooty, Tamil Nadu. This championship is a national level inter-state championship, which is played every year at one venue chosen by the AIFF Executive Committee. All affiliated State Associations of AIFF are eligible to participate in this Championship, which is played on league-cum-knockout basis.
Notes
- ^ Not a state-level, rather a district league and clubs from Kolkata participate
- ^ Not a state-level, rather a district league and clubs from Mumbai participate. Other district leagues also operate.
- ^ Not a state-level, rather a district league and clubs from Chennai participate. Other district leagues also operate.
- ^ Not a state-level, rather a district league and clubs from Bangalore participate.
- ^ Not a state-level, rather a district league and clubs from Shillong participate. A state-level Meghalaya State League was held twice, in 2018 and 2019.
- ^ The state-level league was held from 2008 till 2015, but hasn't been held since. The district league has been held since 1998 and clubs from Guwahati participate. Other district leagues also operate.
- ^ Various district Leagues make the lower tiers
- ^ Not a state-level, rather a district league and clubs from Lucknow participate.
See also
References
- ^ "AFC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE APPROVE INDIAN FOOTBALL ROADMAP". www.the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ "The AFC". the-AFC. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ Rohan Puri (21 April 2016). "Women's football league from October | Football News - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
- ^ "JSA League 'A' Division 2022 Fixtures Announced". Jamshedpur Football Club. 8 June 2022. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ "Hero Senior NFC". www.the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "Hero Senior Women's NFC". www.the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "Hero Junior NFC". www.the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "Hero Sub Junior NFC". www.the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "Hero Junior Girl's NFC". www.the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "Hero Sub Junior Girl's NFC". www.the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
External links
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| League system |
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