Indian football league system

Founded in 1996, the National Football League was the first football league of India to be organised on a national scale.[4] The aim was to develop the sport in the country and give a platform for Indian footballers to showcase their talent. But due to several problems the league was defunct to make way for a new professional I-League.

After the end of 2006-07 season, AIFF disbanded the NFL after missing the aim of professionalism. Supportive to this decision was also the presence of poor infrastructure and financially weak clubs. 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.[5] 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 of the league to a virtual knockout competition for the AFC Cup slot. 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.

The I-League, which was promised to be a professional league, soon began to suffer from lack of popularity due to poor marketing as the seasons passed by.[6] The deal between Zee Sports and 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 massive 700-crore deal with Reliance Industries and the International Management Group on 9 December 2010.[7] 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.[8] A total of eight franchises were bought by big corporations, Bollywood stars and cricketers.[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 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, with the ISL replacing the domestic cup competition, the Federation Cup which was a true knockout cup competition.[12]

Two seasons later, the AIFF and AFC met again to determine the roadmap for Indian football. After the meeting, it was announced that the Indian Super League was officially the top-tier league of India with AFC Champions League slot while I-League was now the domestic cup tournament with AFC Cup slot. The AFC also mentioned some of the key recommendations. 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 I-League to stand a chance of getting promoted to the ISL with no participation fee, basis fulfilling sporting merit and the national club licensing criteria to be set out by the AIFF starting with the 2022–23 season. In its final recommendation, it was agreed that there would be no relegation in the ISL for now. The introduction of promotion and relegation into the top league would be implemented by the end of 2024–25 season.[13]

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.

The National Football League's second division was succeeded by the I-League second 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 I-League reserve sides which weren't eligible for promotion since I-League was then the top division.[15] After I-League lost its top tier status, I-League 2nd division too was demoted to third tier, re-establishing India's third tier since NFL's Third Division in 2006.

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]

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.

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]

There are currently total of 37 state associations (including union territories) affiliated with the AIFF.[21] These state associations have state leagues affiliated to them. The top teams of state leagues are eligible to apply for the I-League 2. Some state leagues have multiple divisions and a promotion/relegation system between these divisions. Calcutta Football League in West Bengal is the oldest state league and has the highest number of divisions (seven) with promotion/relegation system in place.[22]

The Santosh Trophy[25] 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 National Football Championship[26] 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.

The Junior National Football Championship or BC Roy Trophy[27] 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[28] 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.

The U-19 Junior Girls' National Football Championship[29] was first introduced in the year 2001. This Championship National Level inter-state championship is played annually at one venue chosen by the AIFF Executive Committee. All affiliated State Associations of AIFF are eligible to participate in this Championship, played on a league-cum-knockout basis.

The U-17 Sub-Junior Girls' National Football Championship[30] 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, played on a league-cum-knockout basis.