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 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]

Indian football league system

Country India

Sport Association football

Promotion and Yes

relegation

National system

Federation All India Football

Federation

Confederation AFC

Top division Indian Super League

(men)
Indian Women's
League (women)

Second division I-League (men)

Indian Women's
League 2 (women)

Cup competition Men:

Super Cup (India)
Durand Cup

Association football in India

Men's

The Indian men's football league system consists of the top 4 national divisions organized by the All
India Football Federation (AIFF) and commercial partners FSDL. From tier 5 are the various regional
state football leagues, organized by the respective state associations under AIFF affiliation.
Pyramid

Level

Indian Super League

1
13 clubs – ↓ No relegation (2024-25)

I-League
2
12 clubs – 1 promotion ↑↓ 1 relegation

I-League 2
3
10 clubs – 2 promotions ↑↓ 2 relegations

I-League 3
4
TBA clubs – 6 promotions ↑↓ 15 relegations (provisionally)

Maharashtra
State
West Bengal Assam Delhi Tamil Nadu
level
Mumbai Pune Nagpur Kolhapur Thane

Assam State Delhi Mumbai PDFA Super NDFA Elite Kolhapur

CFL Premier CFA Senior Thane Supe
Premier Premier Premier Division Division Senior
Division Division Division
League League League League League League
5 1
↑promote ↑promote ↑promot
↑promote ↑promote ↑promote ↑promote ↑promote ↑promote
↓relegate ↓relegate ↓relegat
↓relegate ↓relegate ↓relegate ↓relegate ↓relegate ↓relegate

Assam Club 1 division

Championship
CFL 1st FD Senior Mumbai PDFA First NDFA Super
/ Guwahati
Division Division First Division Super Division Division
Premier
↑promote 2 League League League League
6 2
Football
↑promote
↓relegate League ↑promote ↑promote ↑promote ↑promote
↓relegate
2 ↑promote ↓relegate ↓relegate ↓relegate ↓relegate
↓relegate

CFL 2nd
GSA A
Division PDFA Second NDFA Senior
Division FD A- Second MFA First
Division Division
↑promote Football Division Division Division
League League
League
7 3
2 ↑promote ↑promote ↑promote
↑promote ↑promote
↑promote
↓relegate ↓relegate ↓relegate ↓relegate
↓relegate ↓relegate
2
↓relegate

8 4 CFL 3rd GSA B FD B- Third MFA Second PDFA Third 3 divisions

Division Division Division Division Division Division
Football League
↑promote League ↑promote ↑promote ↑promote
2 ↓relegate ↓relegate ↓relegate
 ↓relegate ↑promote ↑promote
2 ↓relegate ↓relegate

CFL 4th
Division GSA C
Division FD C- Fourth MFA Third
↑promote Football Division Division Division
9 5
2 League
↑promote ↑promote ↑promote
↓relegate ↑promote
2 4 divisions

CFL 5th
Division

10 6
↑promote 5 divisions

Status evolution

Professional leagues

Amateur/Semi-professional leagues

Inter-state championship
 Year Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Tier 5 and below

1941–
Santosh Trophy State leagues
1996

State leagues
1996– National
(without top
1997 Football League
divisions)

State leagues
1997– National National Football
(without top
2006 Football League League Division 2
divisions)

State leagues
2006– National National Football National Football
(without top
2007 Football League League Division 2 League Division 3
divisions)

State leagues
2007– I-League Division
I-League (without top
2017 2
divisions)

I-League and State leagues

2017– I-League Division
Indian Super (without top
2022 2
League divisions)

State leagues
2022– Indian Super
I-League I-League 2 (without top
2023 League
divisions)

State leagues
2023– Indian Super
I-League I-League 2 I-League 3 (without top
present League
divisions)

Tier I

National Football League (1996–2007)

Founded in 1996, the National Football League was the first football league of India to be organised
on a national scale,[5] in an aim to develop the sport & give platform for Indian footballers in a club
league. However, due to several problems the league was defunct to make way for a new
professional I-League.
I-League (2007–2022)

After the end of 2006–07 season, AIFF disbanded the NFL after allegedly missing the full aim of
professionalism. To replace NFL, AIFF introduced a fully professional I-League, with ten clubs from
the last season of NFL participating in the maiden season of I-League.[6] The league was declared
as joint top tier in 2019–20 season when AFC approved AIFF's proposal to demote the AFC
Champions League slot, for the AFC Cup. Three seasons later the league was completely demoted
to second tier status in Indian football, with the league champions now promoted to the Indian
Super League.

Indian Super League (2017–present)

The I-League suffered from lack of popularity due to poor marketing as the seasons passed by.[7]
The deal between the Zee Sports and the AIFF, which was initially signed for a ten-year term in 2006,
was terminated in 2010 after disagreement between both the parties. AIFF then signed a new 700-
crore deal with Reliance Industries and the International Management Group on 9 December 2010.[8]
The Indian Super League was officially launched on 21 October 2013 by IMG–Reliance, Star Sports,
and the All India Football Federation with an aim of growing the sport of football in India and
increasing its exposure in the country, this time with the big names and high professionalism.[9]

In 2017, The AFC were against allowing the ISL as the main league in India, while I-League clubs
East Bengal and Mohun Bagan wanted a complete merger of the ISL and I-League.[10] A couple of
weeks later, the AIFF proposed that both the Indian Super League and I-League should run
simultaneously on a short–term basis, with the I-League winner qualifying for the AFC Champions
League and the ISL champion to AFC Cup qualification stage.[11] The proposal from the AIFF was
officially approved by the AFC on 25 July 2017.[12]

Two seasons later the AIFF and AFC announced in a meeting that the Indian Super League was
officially the top-tier league of India with the AFC Champions League slot, while the I-League was
with the AFC Cup slot. The first recommendation was to open a pathway for two I-League clubs to
enter into the ISL by the end of the 2020–21 season, subject to the criteria being fulfilled. The
second recommendation was allowing the winner of the I-League to stand a chance of getting
promoted to the ISL with no participation fee, starting with the 2022–23 season. In its final
recommendation it was agreed that the introduction of promotion and relegation into the top league
would be implemented by the end of 2024–25 season, thus making ISL the top tier & I-League
officially being 2nd tier competition.[13]
Tier II

NFL Second Division (1997–2007)

The NFL's second division was introduced by AIFF in 1997 to supplement the top division.[14] After
the 2006–07 season, all the three tiers of NFL were defunct and replaced with I-League and I-
League 2nd Division respectively.

I-League 2nd Division (2007–2022)

The National Football League's second division was succeeded by the I-League 2nd Division in
2008. The state FAs nominated top teams from their respective state leagues to AIFF who then
selected the clubs based on criteria. The number of clubs in this league varied each season. Since
2017–18 season, the league saw introduction of the I-League reserve sides which weren't eligible
for promotion.[15] After the I-League lost its top tier status, the I-League 2nd Division was demoted,
re-establishing India's third tier since the NFL's Third Division in 2006.

I-League (2022–present)

Starting from the 2022–23 season, I-League lost its top-tier status. The champions of the 2022–23
I-League were promoted to the ISL with no participation fee. In its recommendation for 2024–25, it
was agreed to fully implement promotion and relegation between the two leagues.[16]

Tier III

NFL Third Division (2006)

Ten years after the formation of NFL, a third division was briefly introduced for one season in
2006[17] The NFL Third Division was the first third division tier football league in India to be
organized on a national scale. The league was played from 25 November till 18 December 2006 as a
promotional tournament for Indian National Football League Second Division. Five teams were
promoted to the second division.[18][19] Starting from the 2022–23 season, I-League 2 filled the void
in the third tier left by NFL Third Division in 2006.

I-League 2 (2022–present)

After demoting I-League to the second tier status in Indian football, its second division i.e., I-League
2nd Division was subsequently demoted to third tier. AIFF renamed the 2nd Division to I-League 2 to
avoid disambiguation.[20]
Tier IV

I-League 3 (2023–present)

I-League 3 is set to serve as a platform for state champions and nominated teams. It forms the
fourth tier of the Indian football league system, between the I-League 2 and the state leagues. No
ISL reserve teams will be part of it.[21][22]

Tier V & below

Indian state leagues

There are currently total of 36 state associations (including union territories) affiliated with the
AIFF.[23] These state associations have state leagues concurrently running. The top teams of state
leagues are eligible for the I-League 3 (national 4th tier). Most state leagues have multiple divisions
and a promotion/relegation system between these divisions. Calcutta Football League (Oldest
football league in Asia) in West Bengal is the oldest state league and has the highest number of
divisions with promotion/relegation system in place.[24]
System evolution

Men's

Years

Level 1888– 1893–1898 1898–1941 1941– 1977– 1996– 1997– 2001– 2006– 2007– 2011– 2014– 2017– 2022– 2
1893 1893 1937 1977 1996 1997 2001 2006 2007 2011 2014 2017 2022 2023 pr

Indian
Calcutta Super
Santosh Indian S
1 Football National Football League I-League League
Trophy Leagu
League I-
League
Formation
Formation
National 2 of All None NFL Second Division I-League 2nd Division I-Leag
of Indian
leagues India NFL
None Football
3 Football None Third Discontinued I-Leagu
Association
Federation Division
(IFA)
None
(AIFF)

4 None Le

Regional 5–
State leagues
leagues 11

Durand Cup
Cup
Federation Cup Super Cup
competitions
Indian Super Cup Discontinued

Franchise leagues

League State/Region Clubs Formed

Gujarat Super League Gujarat 6 2024

Super League Kerala Kerala 6 2024

Sikkim Premier League Sikkim 8 2023

Manipur Premier League Manipur 9 2023–24

Women's

The women's football league system in India currently consists of top tier national league i.e. Indian
Women's League, organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). From 2023 to 24 IWL 2nd
Division will form the tier 2, and top 2 clubs will be promoted to IWL. Tier 3 are the State football
leagues, organized by regional state associations under AIFF affiliation, in the league tier pyramid of
women's football in India.

Pyramid

Level

Indian Women's League

1
7 clubs – ↓ 0 relegations

Indian Women's League 2

2
15 clubs – 2 promotions ↑↓ 9 relegations TBA

State
Karnataka West Bengal Delhi Maharastra Tamil Nadu Assam Goa Manipur
level

Karnataka
FD Women's
Women's CWFL Tamil Nadu Assam Manipur
Premier
Super WIFA Women's Football Goa Women's
Premier Women's Women's Women's
League League League
Division Division A League League League
3 1
↑promote ↑promote ↑promote
↑promote ↑promote ↑promote ↑promote ↑promo
↓relegate
↓relegate

Karnataka CWFL MFA PDFA Kolhapur

FD Women's
4 2 Women's A Premier Women's Women's Women's
Championship
Division Division B League Division League

Karnataka
5 3 Women's B 2 divisions
Division

Status evolution

Professional leagues

Amateur/Semi-professional leagues

Inter-state championship
 Year Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 & below

Senior Women's National Football

1991–2016 State leagues
Championship

State leagues (without top

2016–2023 Indian Women's League
divisions)

2023– State leagues (without top

Indian Women's League Indian Women's League 2
present divisions)

Tier I

Indian Women's League (2016–present)

In 2014, after the success of the India women's team, mainly in the SAFF Women's Championship, a
push to start a women's football league, along the lines of recently inaugurated and successful
Indian Super League, happened.[25] Clubs such as Pune and Bengaluru expressed interests in joining
a national women's league.[25] It was around this time that AIFF started plans to create a league for
women along the lines of ISL.[26]

On 21 April 2016, the AIFF president Praful Patel said that Indian Women's League would kick-off in
October with six teams to be decided, and goal to expand to eight teams by 2017. Over two months
later, on 5 July, AIFF organized a workshop to discuss the India women's national team and
proposed women's football league. Five Indian Super League sides – Delhi Dynamos, Chennaiyin,
Kerala Blasters, Pune City and Atletico de Kolkata, and three I-League sides – Bengaluru, Aizawl and
Mumbai, attended the workshop. It was announced that the league would feature eight teams and
two other spots would be determined through a preliminary round.[27] The primary objective of the
tournament was to capitalise the potential of Indian women and prepare them for the national team,
so as to eventually qualify for AFC Women's Asian Cup and FIFA Women's World Cup.[28]

Tier II

Indian Women's League 2 (2023–present)

The league was launched by All India Football Federation as India's first national women's second
tier professional football league.[21][22] In January 2024, the League Committee confirmed the
introduction of the system of promotion and relegation of the clubs involving the IWL and IWL 2,
effective from the 2024–25 season.
Tier III & below

Indian state leagues

There are currently total of 36 state associations (including union territories) affiliated with the
AIFF.[23] These state associations have state leagues concurrently running. The top teams of state
leagues are eligible for the Indian Women's League 2 (national 2nd tier). Some of the state leagues
have multiple divisions and a promotion/relegation system between these divisions. Calcutta
Women's Football League (Oldest football league in India) in West Bengal is the oldest state league.
Karnataka Women's League has the highest number of divisions with promotion/relegation system
in place.

System evolution

Women's

Years

Level 2016–
1937 1991–2016 2023-present
2023

Senior Women's National Football

1 Indian Women's League
Championship
National leagues Formation of
Indian Women's League
2 All India Football Federation None
2
(AIFF)
Regional
3– State leagues
leagues

Youth

Current Youth league system

Level Competition Age category

Reliance Foundation Development League Under-21

Youth League Under-17

National Junior League Under-15

Sub-Junior League Under-13

Subroto Cup Inter-school

Future Youth league system

On 7 January 2023, the AIFF unveiled Vision 2047, a new roadmap for Indian football with the
planned reforms in India's league system.[29][30]

Structure Age category Participants Minimum matches

Boys

Under-21
RFDL/Elite League
Under-19

Under-17 Elite licensed academies and professional clubs 35

State Youth League champions Under-15

Under-13

Girls

Institutional League TBD Association clubs

Elite League 18 to 22 Universities

Under-17 14

Elite and state youth league Under-15 State Youth League champions

Under-13

National football championships

The National football Championships are competitions contested among the regional state
associations and government institutions under the All India Football Federation. Currently, six
championship competitions are divided into age groups for both men and women.

Senior NFC (Santosh Trophy)

The Santosh Trophy[31] is a men's football competition contested by the regional state associations
and government institutions under the AIFF. Before starting 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 for Rajmata Jijabai Trophy[32] 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.

U-20, Junior & Sub-Junior NFC

The U-20 National Football Championship or Swami Vivekananda U20 National Football
Championship[33] is a national level inter-state championship for boys under the age of 20.[34] All
affiliated State Units of AIFF are eligible to participate in this championship.

The Junior National Football Championship or BC Roy Trophy[35] 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 played across the country.

The Sub Junior National Football Championship or Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy[36] 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 can participate in this championship through the qualifying round.

Junior & Sub-Junior Girls' NFC

The U-19 Junior Girls' National Football Championship[37] was first introduced in 2001.

The U-17 Sub-Junior Girls' National Football Championship[38] was first introduced in 2003 and held
at Ooty.

Institutional League

AIFF proposed the league for its various institutional clubs.

Notes

See also

Futsal Club Championship

National Beach Soccer Championship

List of football clubs in India