Goa Football League

Goa Football League

File:GPL official logo.png
Founded	1998 1977–97(as Goa Super Division) 1951–77(as Goa First Division)
Country	India
Number of teams	11
Level on pyramid	3
Promotion to	None
Relegation to	GFA 1st Division
Current champions	Sporting Club de Goa (2016–17)
TV partners	HCN
Website	Pro League
Current: 2016–17 Goa Professional League

The Goa Professional League (GPL; known as the Airtel Pro League for sponsorship purposes) is the premier state level football league in Goa. It is organised by the Goa Football Association

History

The official league in Goa, called the First Division began in 1951 and it was organised by the Conselho de Desportos. There was no Super League. The first League champion of Goa was Clube Desportivo de Chinchinim who beat Football Club of Siolim, to clinch the title.

The League continued under the aegis of the Conselho de Desportos till the season of 1958–59, with Clube de Desportos de Vasco da Gama taking the title that year. In 1959, the Goa Football Association was established as the official administrative body of football and from that season onwards the league was conducted by GFA. The 1959–60 League was conducted by the GFA and Clube Independente de Margao emerged champions.

Until the 1968–69 season there was no Senior League. The First Division League was considered Senior. The GFA introduced the Senior Division League in 1969–70, which was topmost of Division football. But the senior league was later abandoned.

In 1970–71 season, apart from the Senior Division League, there came into existence the first division league which was split into two groups, namely the North Zone and South Zone. While the North Zone consisted of teams from Ilhas and Bardez the South Zone accommodated teams from Mormugao and Salcete.

From the around 24 teams in the Second Division, just one make it to the First Division League. While there are around 60 teams battling it out in the Third Division, of which two teams make it to the next stage. Subsequently, the teams finishing at the bottom of their respective pool, are relegated to other divisions.

In 1977 the Goa Football Association introduced the Super League in the season of 1977–78, with Salgaocar Sports Club clinching the title. With football, globally, continuing to develop at a fast pace, the Goa Football Association, decided it was time to push the game onto a higher platform. Goa emerged as the first State ever in the country, to go professional with the game and till date it remains the only State in the country, where the status of the game is professional.

The first Professional League was launched in the 1998–99 season. The five top teams of the 1997–98 Super League – Churchill Brothers SC, Salgaocar SC, Dempo SC, Vasco SC and VLM SC – automatically qualified for the Pro League.

The Professional league was expanded to six teams from the 2000–2001 season, after the GFA thought it wise to increase the number and increase the competitiveness factor, and since 2002 the league was played as an eight team league with home-and-away fixtures making it 14 matches for each club. The GFA then announced that the 2011 season would be played with 10 teams under a new format in which Salgaocar won in.

Goan Pro League clubs 2016–17

The following 11 clubs will compete in the GPL during the 2016—17 season.

Club
Calangute Association
Churchill Brothers
Corps of Signal
Clube Sao Miguel de Taleigao
Dempo S.C.
FC Bardez
Guardian Angel SC
Salgaocar
Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim
Sporting Goa
Vasco

List of Champions

Goa Professional League

Season	Champion
1998	Salgaocar
1999	Churchill Brothers
2000	Churchill Brothers
2001	Churchill Brothers
2002	Salgaocar
2003	Salgaocar
2004	Salgaocar
2005	Dempo
2006	Sporting Goa
2007	Dempo
2008	Churchill Brothers
2009	Dempo
2010	Dempo
2011	Dempo
2012–13	Salgaocar
2013–14	Sporting Clube de Goa
2014–15	Salgaocar F.C.
2015–16	Sporting Clube de Goa

For past winners at this level before 1997, see List of Goan State Football Champions.

Top Scorers

Season	Top scorer	Club	Goals
2011	Koko Sakibo Victorino Fernandes	Dempo Sporting Goa	6
2012–13	Juanfri	Sporting Clube de Goa	3
2013–14	Melwin Fernandes	Wilred Leisure	13
2014–15	Victorino Fernandes	Sporting Clube de Goa	11
2015–16	Odafa Okolie	Sporting Clube de Goa	11

External links

• Goa Professional League 2015–16 Fixtures
• Goa Football Association website