Football in India

2022-05-14T18:40:25Z

43.251.90.227:

{{short description|Overview of football in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2022}}
{{sport overview
| title = Indian Football
| image = Yuva Bharati Krirangan.png
| image_size = 270px
| caption = [[Salt Lake Stadium]] in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]]
| union = [[All India Football Federation]] (AIFF) (formed in 1937, joined [[FIFA]] in 1948)<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk">{{cite news |last=Sharma |first=Mukesh |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8802642.stm |title=BBC Sport — Football — World Cup 2010: India's football absence examined |work=BBC News |date=2010-07-11 |access-date=2014-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113173934/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8802642.stm|archive-date=2014-01-13|url-status=live}}</ref>
| country = India
| nickname = The Blue Tigers
| first = 1800s
| registered = 
| clubs = 
| national_list = [[Santosh Trophy|Senior Men's National Football Championship]] [[Senior Women's National Football Championship]] [[B.C. Roy Trophy|Junior Boy's National Football Championship]] [[Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy|Sub-Junior Boy's National Football championship]] [[Junior Girl's National Football Championship]] [[Sub–Junior Girl's National Football Championship]]
| club_list = {{Collapsible list|
* '''Leagues:''' [[Indian Super League]] [[I-League]] [[I-League Qualifiers]] [[State football leagues in India|State leagues]] [[Elite League (India)|Elite League]] [[Indian Women's League]] [[AIFF Futsal Club Championship]]
* '''Cups''': [[Super Cup (India)|Super Cup]] [[Durand Cup]]
}}
| other_list = [[IFA Shield]] [[Durand Cup]]
| intl_list = {{collapsible list | state=collapsed
| '''[[Indian football clubs in Asian competition|Clubs]]'''
* [[AFC Champions League]]
* [[AFC Cup]]
* [[AFC Women's Club Championship]]
* [[AFC Futsal Club Championship]]
| '''[[India national football team|National team]]'''
* [[India national football team#FIFA World Cup|FIFA World Cup]]: Qualified ([[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]]) ''Did not participate''<ref name="Wilson">{{cite web |last=Wilson |first=Bill |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17614190 |title=BBC News — Football looks to score in India |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2012-04-10 |access-date=2014-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220053713/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17614190 |archive-date=2014-02-20 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{dubious|date=March 2022}} {{Additional citation needed|date=March 2022}}
* [[Football at the Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]]: Semi-finals ([[Association football at the 1956 Summer Olympics|1956]])
* [[AFC Asian Cup]]: Runners-up ([[1964 AFC Asian Cup|1964]])
* [[SAFF Championship]]: Champions ([[1993 South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation Gold Cup|1993]], [[1997 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup|1997]], [[1999 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup|1999]], [[2005 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup|2005]], [[2009 SAFF Championship|2009]], [[2011 SAFF Championship|2011]], [[2015 SAFF Championship|2015]], [[2021 SAFF Championship|2021]])
* [[AFC Challenge Cup]]: Champions ([[2008 AFC Challenge Cup|2008]])
* [[Football at the Asian Games|Asian Games]]: Champions ([[Football at the 1951 Asian Games|1951]], [[Football at the 1962 Asian Games|1962]])
| '''[[India national under-17 football team|National U-17 team]]'''
* [[FIFA U-17 World Cup]]: Group stage ([[2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup|2017]])
* [[AFC U-16 Championship]]: Quarter-finals ([[2002 AFC U-17 Championship|2002]], [[2018 AFC U-16 Championship|2018]])
| '''[[India women's national football team|Women's national team]]'''
* [[AFC Women's Asian Cup]]: Runners-up ([[1979 AFC Women's Championship|1979]], [[1983 AFC Women's Championship|1983]])
| '''[[India women's national under-17 football team|Women's U-17 national team]]'''
* [[FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup]]: Qualified ([[2021 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup|2021]], [[2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup|2022]])
|'''National Futsal Team'''
* [[2022 AFC Futsal Asian Cup]], [[2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup]] (''Did not enter'')
|'''National Minifootball Team'''
* [[WMF World Cup]]: Group stage ([[2015 WMF World Cup|2015]], [[2017 WMF World Cup|2017]], [[2019 WMF World Cup|2019]])
* Asian Minifootball Championship (''TBA'')
|'''National 6 a side Team'''
* Socca World Cup: Group stage (2018, 2019)
|'''National 7 a side Team'''
* IFA7 Mundial: Group stage (2017)
}}
| match = 131,781 ([[East Bengal 4–1 Mohun Bagan|1997 Federation Cup Semifinal: East Bengal F.C. VS Mohun Bagan A.C.]] at [[Salt Lake Stadium]], 1997)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2013/7/22/6phssedqppiaxjndh9sxxm3jph49r7|title=Mohun Bagan and East Bengal: A derby to remember|access-date=5 December 2015|website=inbedwithmaradona.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204124327/http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2013/7/22/6phssedqppiaxjndh9sxxm3jph49r7|archive-date=4 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
| nationalteam = [[Indian national football team|Men]] [[India women's national football team|Women]]
}}

[[Association football|Football]] in [[India]] has historically been among the top 3 most popular sport in terms of players participation and TV viewership, together with long time number one [[cricket]] and re-emerging [[kabaddi]]. India's current top domestic football league is [[Indian Super League]], formed with eight teams to promote Indian football in the country and world. The league began on 2014 and after third season, it was recognised by [[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]] as the second national football league, running parallel with the [[I-League]], thus leaving India as one of the few countries with two fully recognised football leagues.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-26143796 |title=BBC News — Can India ever learn to love football? |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2014-02-14 |access-date=2014-02-15 |work=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140216035439/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-26143796 |archive-date=2014-02-16 |url-status=live }}</ref> Also contested is [[Santosh Trophy]], a knock-out competition between states (provinces) and government institutions.

The [[2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup]] was hosted by India in the month of October in 2017 and for the first time the country hosted a [[FIFA]] event. The tournament was touted as the most successful [[FIFA U-17 World Cup]] ever, with the attendance being a record 1,347,133 surpassing China's 1985 edition where it was 1,230,976. India is also going to host the [[2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup]]. Owing to this, India also bid to host the [[2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup]], but lost to [[Poland]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/news/y=2018/m=3/news=fifa-council-decides-on-key-steps-for-the-future-of-international-competitions.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317032934/http://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/news/y=2018/m=3/news=fifa-council-decides-on-key-steps-for-the-future-of-international-competitions.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 March 2018|title=FIFA Council decides on key steps for the future of international competitions|date=16 March 2018|website=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association}}</ref>

==History==
{{further|History of Indian Football}}


===Pre independence===
The origin of football in India can be traced back to mid-nineteenth century when the game was introduced by British soldiers. Initially, games were played between army teams. However, clubs were soon set up around the country. [[Calcutta Cricket and Football Club|Calcutta FC]] was the first club to be established in 1872, though reports suggest that they were initially a rugby club and switched their attentions to football as late as 1894. Other early clubs include Dalhousie Club, Traders Club and Naval Volunteers Club.<ref name="TheSportsCampus.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.thesportscampus.com/200805197/introduction-to-football/history-indian-football |title=History of Football in India |publisher=TheSportsCampus.com |date=2008-05-19 |access-date=2014-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825015957/http://www.thesportscampus.com/200805197/introduction-to-football/history-indian-football |archive-date=2012-08-25 |url-status=live }}</ref> Several other football clubs like Sovabazar, [[Mohun Bagan Athletic Club|Mohun Bagan]] and [[Techno Aryan F.C.|Aryan Club]] were established in [[Calcutta]] around the 1890s. Calcutta, then capital of British India, soon became the hub of Indian football. Tournaments like Gladstone Cup, Trades Cup and Cooch Behar Cup was also started around this time. The [[Durand Cup]] and [[IFA Shield]] were both started in late nineteenth century.

The first Indian team to achieve success was Sovabazar Club, which won the Trades Cup in 1892. [[Mohun Bagan Athletic Club]] was set up in what is now West Bengal in 1889. The club became famous in 1911 when it became the first Indian team to lift the [[IFA Shield]], a tournament previously won only by British teams based in India. It defeated the [[East Yorkshire Regiment]] 2–1 in the final of the tournament in a victory that is still regarded by many as the greatest win by an Indian team before Independence.

The [[Indian Football Association]] (IFA) was established in Calcutta in 1893, but did not have a single Indian on its board until the 1930s. The [[All India Football Federation]], which runs the game in India, was formed in 1937, but took more than a decade to get affiliated with FIFA. India also insisted on playing barefoot when other nations were putting their boots on and the game was changing fast.<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/soutikbiswas/2010/06/why_is_india_a_football_laggard.html |title=Soutik Biswas's India: Why is India not at the World Cup? |publisher=BBC |date=2010-06-18 |access-date=2014-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131124074642/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/soutikbiswas/2010/06/why_is_india_a_football_laggard.html |archive-date=2013-11-24 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===The golden age===
India qualified by default for the [[1950 FIFA World Cup]] as a result of the withdrawal of all of their scheduled opponents. But lack of financial assistance to purchase tickets including the prospects of a very long sea journey meant that the team never made it to Brazil.<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/><ref name="web.archive.org">{{cite web|url=http://in.yfittopostblog.com/2010/06/14/barefoot-in-bengal-and-other-stories/ |title=Fit to Post: Yahoo! India News " Blog Archive Barefoot in Bengal and Other Stories " |access-date=2014-02-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614204013/http://in.yfittopostblog.com/2010/06/14/barefoot-in-bengal-and-other-stories/ |archive-date=14 June 2010 }}</ref> Although FIFA imposed a rule banning barefoot play following [[1948 Summer Olympics|1948 Olympics]] where India had played barefoot. The myth that Indians refused to play because they were not allowed to play barefoot is not entirely true, according to the then Indian captain [[Shailen Manna]], it was just a story to cover up the disastrous decision of the AIFF. The team has never since come close to qualifying for the World Cup.<ref name="web.archive.org"/><ref>Lisi (2007), p. 49</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=7/overview.html|title=1950 FIFA World Cup Brazil – Overview|publisher=[[FIFA]]|access-date=2014-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318000125/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition%3D7/overview.html|archive-date=2012-03-18|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Arunava Chaudhuri |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/worldcupq.html |title=The Indian National Team's World Cup qualifying |access-date=2014-02-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130320195543/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/worldcupq.html |archive-date=20 March 2013 }}</ref>

India even picked up the gold medal in football in the first [[Asian Games]] in 1951, beating a "booted" Iran by a solitary goal. In 1956, after having put on its boots, India reached the semi-final in [[1956 Summer Olympics|Melbourne Olympics]] football, the first Asian country to do so. It stood fourth in the tournament. In 1962, India again picked up the football gold in the Asian Games.<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/> 1951–1962 is usually considered as "golden phase" of Indian football. The National team won numerous titles in this era under the coaching of [[Syed Abdul Rahim]]. Other than success in Asian Games football, India also won Merdeka Cup and Quadrangular Tournament while [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]] garnered rave reviews after its tour of Romania. Rahim's death in the early 1960s pegged Indian football back after a successful period. The former FIFA president [[Sepp Blatter]] once famously said that India is "the sleeping giant of world football".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/best-football-stadiums-in-india-002837.html|work=nativeplanet.com|access-date=2018-05-14|language=en|title=Archived copy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514215314/https://www.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/best-football-stadiums-in-india-002837.html|archive-date=2018-05-14|url-status=live}}</ref>

===The decline===
India never qualified for the Olympics after 1960.<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/> India did qualify for its first Asian Cup in 1964 but failed to capture the title. India's last important performance in an international tournament came in 1970 Asian Games, when it won the bronze medal by defeating Japan 1–0, however the Indian youth team jointly won the Youth Asian Cup with [[Iran national under-20 football team|Iran]] in [[1974 AFC Youth Championship|1974]], the first and only title for India at youth level. For the club football, 24 September 1977 was a golden day as [[Mohun Bagan A.C.|Mohun Bagan]] managed to hold on for a memorable 2–2 draw at the legendary Eden Gardens stadium in Calcutta, against a [[Pele]] led [[New York Cosmos (1970–1985)|New York Cosmos]]. Mohun Bagan would have gone on and won the tie, had it not been for a controversial penalty awarded to the visitors that ensured the spoils were shared. The next day, the Ananda Bazar Patrika described Goutam Sarkar as "India's very own Beckenbaur". Indian national team qualified for the [[1984 AFC Asian Cup]] for the first time since 1964, but failed to qualify for knockout stage as they finished last in their group of five teams. After a golden phase in 50s and 60s, Indian football went through a barren phase in 70s, 80s and 90s, gradually losing its foothold as a top Asian team.

However, things were just getting started for the women's team as they began playing in 70s. The first manager was [[Sushil Bhattacharya]], in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportskeeda.com/football/sushil-bhattacharya-india-first-women-football-national-team-coach-dies|title=India's first women's football national team coach Sushil Bhattacharya passed away|date=21 July 2015|access-date=21 July 2015|author=Arunava Chaudhuri|publisher=Sportskeeda|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122858/http://www.sportskeeda.com/football/sushil-bhattacharya-india-first-women-football-national-team-coach-dies|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Doyle |first=Jennifer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/sports/soccer/29iht-SOCCER.html |title=A World Cup Dream Revives India's Women's Soccer Team |location=India |work=NY Times|date=2010-01-28 |access-date=2012-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221010214/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/sports/soccer/29iht-SOCCER.html |archive-date=21 February 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Indian women's team went on to finish as runners-up in [[1980 AFC Women's Championship|1980]] and [[1983 AFC Women's Championship|1983]] editions of [[AFC Women's Asian Cup]]. Later in the 90s, the women's team declined rapidly and a series of defeats with heavy margins followed. In 2009, the women's team reached its all-time low as they were delisted by [[FIFA]] in world rankings.<ref>{{cite news|title= A World Cup Dream Revives India's Women's Team|work= The New York Times|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/sports/soccer/29iht-SOCCER.html?_r=0|access-date=19 September 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180808073244/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/sports/soccer/29iht-SOCCER.html?_r=0|archive-date= 8 August 2018|url-status= live}}</ref>

The men's team saw a positive rise after coming close to qualify for [[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Second Round|final round]] of [[2022 FIFA World Cup qualification|2022 world cup qualifiers]] as they finished a point behind the group winners [[UAE national football team|UAE]]. In August 2007, the Indian national team won the [[Nehru Cup International Football Tournament|Nehru Cup]] for the first time in its history beating [[Syria national football team|Syria]] 1–0.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-29226020070829 | title = India upstage Syria 1–0 to lift Nehru Cup | work = Reuters | date = 2007-08-29 | access-date = 2007-12-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090906092332/http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-29226020070829 | archive-date = 2009-09-06 | url-status = live }}</ref> In August the following year, India defeated [[Tajikistan national football team|Tajikistan]] 4–1 to lift the [[AFC Challenge Cup]] and in turn qualified for the [[2011 AFC Asian Cup]] in Qatar. In August 2009, India again won the Nehru Cup beating Syria on penalties (6–5).

===2011-present===
In January 2011 India played in the [[2011 Asian Cup]] which was the first time India has played in the [[Asian Cup]] for 24 years. India were knocked out in the group stage which contained [[South Korea national football team|South Korea]], [[Australia national association football team|Australia]], and [[Bahrain national football team|Bahrain]].

Ever since the [[2011 Asian Cup]] the [[All India Football Federation]] has been working very hard on Indian Football. For instance they allowed former coach [[Bob Houghton]] coach the Indian side in the [[2012 AFC Challenge Cup]] qualifiers. After going first in there [[AFC Challenge Cup]] group [[Bob Houghton]] was sacked and replaced by [[Wim Koevermans]]. Meanwhile, the [[India national under-23 football team]] won the first round of the [[2012 Olympics]] qualifiers against Myanmar but were knocked out by Qatar. India played their next official matches against [[United Arab Emirates national football team|United Arab Emirates]] in the [[2014 FIFA World Cup]] qualifiers which India lost on aggregate 5–2.

In 2014, India hosted the first-ever [[Unity World Cup]] in [[Goa]], [[Hyderabad]] and [[Bangalore]]. India has participated in the [[FIFA U-17 World Cup]] as hosts of [[2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup|2017 edition]] of the tournament. This was the first time ever that a team representing India participated in the finals of a FIFA-organised world tournament. India was placed in Group A along with [[United States men's national soccer team|U.S.A]], [[Ghana national football team|Ghana]] and [[Columbia national football team|Columbia]]. On 6 October 2017, India played their first ever match in FIFA U-17 World Cup history in front of 47,000 people against the United States. But unfortunately, India lost the match by 3–0. India played their Second match against Colombia. In 82nd minute [[Jeakson Singh Thounaojam|Jeakson Singh]] became the first Indian goal scorer in the finals of any FIFA organised tournaments. For the third match of group stage, India faced Ghana where they went down to lose 4–0, finishing bottom of the group A.<ref>{{cite news|title=Official Emblem launched for FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017|url=https://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/news/y=2016/m=9/news=official-emblem-launched-for-fifa-u-17-world-cup-india-2017-2837035.html|access-date=9 October 2016|work=Fédération Internationale de Football Association|date=27 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001172345/http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/news/y=2016/m=9/news=official-emblem-launched-for-fifa-u-17-world-cup-india-2017-2837035.html|archive-date=1 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Recently in 2018, Indian youth football teams created history by defeating [[Argentina national under-20 football team|Argentina U20]] 2–1 in 2018 Cotif Cup and [[Iraq national under-17 football team|Iraq U16]], the defending champions of [[AFC U-16 Championship]] by 1–0. The U-16 team qualified for the [[2018 AFC U-16 Championship]] where they came close to qualify for [[2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup]] but went down to [[South Korea national under-17 football team|South Korea]] by solitary goal in quarterfinals.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-in/news/argentina-iraq-slayed-in-an-incredible-day-for-india/jecl56sbmsie105cozmp6zi97 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807220522/http://www.goal.com/en-in/news/argentina-iraq-slayed-in-an-incredible-day-for-india/jecl56sbmsie105cozmp6zi97 |archive-date=2018-08-07 |url-status=live }}</ref> Indian senior national team qualified for the [[2019 AFC Asian Cup|2019 edition]] Asian Cup after missing out in [[2015 AFC Asian Cup|2015]]. In that tournament, India beat [[Thailand national football team|Thailand]] by 4–1; their biggest ever win at the Asia Cup, and their first in 55 years.<ref>{{cite news|title=Group A: Thailand 1-4 India|url=http://www.the-afc.com/asiancup/news/group-a-thailand-1-4-india|access-date=6 January 2019|work=The AFC.com|date=6 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106193050/http://www.the-afc.com/asiancup/news/group-a-thailand-1-4-india|archive-date=6 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=AFC Asian Cup 2019: Thailand 1-4 India, Player Ratings|url=https://www.foxsportsasia.com/football/asian-football/afc-asian-cup/1013371/afc-asian-cup-2019-thailand-1-4-india-player-ratings/|access-date=6 January 2019|work=FOX Sports Asia|date=6 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107072227/https://www.foxsportsasia.com/football/asian-football/afc-asian-cup/1013371/afc-asian-cup-2019-thailand-1-4-india-player-ratings/|archive-date=7 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, they lost both of their next two group matches against [[United Arab Emirates national football team|UAE]] and [[Bahrain national football team|Bahrain]] by 0−2 and 0−1 respectively<ref>{{cite web |title=UAE Steal India'S Thunder |date=10 January 2019|url=https://the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=9421 |website=the-aiff.com |publisher=AIFF |access-date=14 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, India vs Bahrain |url=http://stats.the-afc.com/match_report/13260 |website=the-afc.com |publisher=AFC |access-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190118014146/http://stats.the-afc.com/match_report/13260 |archive-date=18 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> and finished at the bottom of the group, thus failed to move to knock out stage.<ref name="India 2019 AFC">{{cite web |author=Ishfaq Ahmed, Shiddant Aney, Vaibhav Raghunandan|title=India Lose to Bahrain, Crash Out of AFC Asian Cup - Highlights and Analysis |date=14 January 2019|url=https://www.newsclick.in/india-vs-bahrain-afc-asian-cup-live-football-score-live-updates-ind-verge-history |website=newsclick.in |access-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190115023439/https://www.newsclick.in/india-vs-bahrain-afc-asian-cup-live-football-score-live-updates-ind-verge-history |archive-date=15 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Structure==
The game in India is administered by [[All India Football Federation|All India Football Federation (AIFF)]], which is affiliated with regional [[Asian Football Confederation]], as well as the worldwide body [[FIFA]]. The [[India national football team|Indian national team]] has entered into the regional [[Asian Cup]] but has never competed in any [[Football World Cup|World Cup]]. [[India women's national football team|Indian women's national team]] has also played in various competitions; moreover, women's football has its own separate inter-state and state competitions. Youth football is administered by the governmental [[Sports Authority of India]].

==National team==
{| class="infobox" style="font-size:95%; width:25em; text-align:center"
! colspan=3 style="font-size:115%; align=center| National teams of India
{{check quotation}}
! [[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
! [[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
! [[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
! [[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
|-
! [[India national football team|Football (Men's)]]
! [[India women's national football team|Football (Women's)]]
! [[India national under-23 football team|Olympic team]]
! [[India national under-20 football team|Football U-20 (men's)]]
|-
! [[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
! [[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
! [[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
! [[File:Futsal pictogram.svg|30px]]
|-
! [[India national under-17 football team|Football U-17 (men's)]]
! [[India women's national under-20 football team|Football U-20 (women's)]]
! [[India women's national under-17 football team|Football U-17 (women's)]]
! Futsal (men's)
|-
! [[File:Futsal pictogram.svg|30px]]
! [[File:Beach soccer pictogram.svg|30px]]
! [[File: Controller.svg|30px]]
! [[File:Futsal pictogram.svg|30px]]
|-
! Futsal (women's)
! [[India national beach soccer team|Beach soccer (men's)]]
! eSports
! Minifootball / Football 6 / Football 7
|}

The [[India national football team]] is the national [[association football|football]] team of [[India]] and is governed by the [[All India Football Federation]]. It is a member of the [[Asian Football Confederation]]. Since 1948, the AIFF has been affiliated with [[FIFA]], the international governing body for world football. In 1954, AIFF became one of the founder members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

At the peak of its success during the 1950s and 60s, the team was automatically advanced to play in the [[1950 FIFA World Cup]] (all the other Asian teams withdrew), but ultimately they did not go to the tournament in Brazil due to the cost of travel,<ref name="web.archive.org"/> lack of practice time, team selection issues, the issue of the AIFF valuing Olympics over the World Cup, and, unusually, their instance on playing barefoot when FIFA required all players to wear football boots.<ref name="in.yfittopostblog.com">{{cite web|url=http://in.yfittopostblog.com/2010/06/14/barefoot-in-bengal-and-other-stories/ |title=Barefoot in Bengal and Other Stories |publisher=In.yfittopostblog.com |access-date=2014-02-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614204013/http://in.yfittopostblog.com/2010/06/14/barefoot-in-bengal-and-other-stories/ |archive-date=2010-06-14 }}</ref> They won gold medals at two Asian Games, and held the record for the best performance by an Asian football team at the Olympics.

There are also a number of other national teams from the [[India national under-23 football team|Under-23 team]] to the [[India national under-17 football team|Under-17 team]], the under-23's is considered to be a feeder team for the national team.

===Performance===
The following list includes the performance of all the national teams of India at major completions.

====Men's senior team====
{{Main|India national football team}}
The Indian senior national team had several success during the initial years, but as the decades passed the team was no longer one of the best in Asia. The best ever achievement of this team was to win two gold medals at the [[Asian Games]].
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
! Tournament
! data-sort-type="number"|Finals appearance
! Last appearance
! Best performance
|-
| [[FIFA World Cup]] || 0/22 || [[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]] ''(qualified but withdrew)'' || –
|-
| [[AFC Asian Cup]] || 4/17 || [[2019 AFC Asian Cup|2019]] || {{sort|2|Runners-up ([[1964 AFC Asian Cup|1964]])}}
|-
| [[Summer Olympic Games|Summer Olympics]] (1908–1988) || 4/17 || [[1960 Summer Olympics|1960]] || {{sort|1|Fourth-place ([[1956 Summer Olympics|1956]])}}
|-
| [[Football at the Asian Games|Asian Games]] (1951–1998) || 11/13 || [[1998 Asian Games|1998]] || {{sort|2|'''Champions''' ([[1951 Asian Games|1951]], [[1962 Asian Games|1962]])}}
|-
| [[SAFF Championship]] || 12/12 || [[2021 SAFF Championship|2021]] || {{sort|7|'''Champions''' ([[1993 South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation Gold Cup|1993]], [[1997 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup|1997]], [[1999 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup|1999]], [[2005 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup|2005]], [[2009 SAFF Championship|2009]], [[2011 SAFF Championship|2011]], [[2015 SAFF Championship|2015]], [[2021 SAFF Championship|2021]])}}
|-
|}

====Women's senior team====
{{Main|India women's national football team}}
Relative to their male counterparts, the women's team started very late in the 70s. The team had seen success during the initial years in the form of being Asian Women's championship runners-up twice in the early 80s. The later decade when AIFF took incharge of the team, it suffered massive defeats and went down to all-time low during late 2000s. The team was then revived by AIFF and was provided with jaw-dropping number of quality friendlies during the late 2010s in an attempt to empower women's football. The AIFF had also successfully won the [[2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup]] hosting bid.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
! Tournament
! data-sort-type="number"|Finals appearance
! Last appearance
! Best performance
|-
| [[AFC Women's Asian Cup]] || 9/19 || [[2003 AFC Women's Championship|2003]] || {{sort|2|Runners-up ([[1980 AFC Women's Championship|1980]], [[1983 AFC Women's Championship|1983]])}}
|-
| [[Football at the Asian Games|Asian Games]] || 2/7 || [[Football at the 2014 Asian Games|2014]] || {{sort|1|Eighth-place ([[Football at the 1998 Asian Games|1998]])}}
|-
| [[SAFF Women's Championship]] || 5/5 || [[2019 SAFF Women's Championship|2019]] || {{sort|5|'''Champions''' ([[2010 SAFF Women's Championship|2010]], [[2012 SAFF Women's Championship|2012]], [[2014 SAFF Women's Championship|2014]], [[2016 SAFF Women's Championship|2016]], [[2019 SAFF Women's Championship|2019]])}}
|-
| [[Football at the South Asian Games|South Asian Games]] || 3/3 || [[Football at the 2019 South Asian Games|2019]] || {{sort|3|'''Champions''' ([[Football at the 2010 South Asian Games|2010]], [[Football at the 2016 South Asian Games|2016]], [[Football at the 2019 South Asian Games|2019]])}}
|}

====Men's U-23 team====
{{Main|India national under-23 football team}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
! Tournament
! data-sort-type="number"|Finals appearance
! Last appearance
! Best performance
|-
| [[Football at the Asian Games|Asian Games]] || 4/5 || [[Football at the 2014 Asian Games|2014]] || {{sort|1|Tenth-place ([[Football at the 2002 Asian Games|2002]])}}
|-
| [[Football at the South Asian Games|South Asian Games]] || 4/5 || [[Football at the 2016 South Asian Games|2016]] || {{sort|2|Runners-up ([[Football at the 2004 South Asian Games|2004]], [[Football at the 2016 South Asian Games|2016]])}}
|}

====Men's U-20 team====
{{Main|India national under-20 football team}}
Includes U-19 and U-18 team's performance.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
! Tournament
! data-sort-type="number"|Finals appearance
! Last appearance
! Best performance
|-
| [[AFC U-20 Asian Cup]] || 22/40 || [[2006 AFC Youth Championship|2006]] || {{sort|1|'''Champions''' ([[1974 AFC Youth Championship|1974]])}}
|-
| [[SAFF U-18 Championship]] || 3/3 || [[2019 SAFF U-18 Championship|2019]] || {{sort|1|'''Champions''' ([[2019 SAFF U-18 Championship|2019]])}}
|}

====Men's U-17 team====
{{Main|India national under-17 football team}}
Includes U-16 and U-15 team's performance.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
! Tournament
! data-sort-type="number"|Finals appearance
! Last appearance
! Best performance
|-
| [[FIFA U-17 World Cup]] || 1/19 || [[2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup|2017]] || {{sort|1|Group stage ([[2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup|2017]])}}
|-
| [[AFC U-17 Asian Cup]] || 8/18 || [[2018 AFC U-16 Championship|2018]] || {{sort|2|Quarterfinals ([[2002 AFC U-17 Championship|2002]], [[2018 AFC U-16 Championship|2018]])}}
|-
| [[SAFF U-15 Championship]] || 6/6 || [[2019 SAFF U-15 Championship|2019]] || {{sort|3|'''Champions''' ([[2013 SAFF U-16 Championship|2013]], [[2017 SAFF U-15 Championship|2017]], [[2019 SAFF U-15 Championship|2019]])}}
|}

====Women's U-20 team====
{{Main|India women's national under-20 football team}}
Includes U-19 and U-18 team's performance.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
! Tournament
! data-sort-type="number"|Finals appearance
! Last appearance
! Best performance
|-
| [[AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup]] || 3/10 || [[2006 AFC U-19 Women's Championship|2006]] || {{sort|2|Quarterfinals ([[2004 AFC U-19 Women's Championship|2004]])}}
|-
| [[SAFF U-18 Women's Championship]] || 2/2 || [[2021 SAFF U-19 Women's Championship|2021]] || {{sort|1|Runners-up ([[2021 SAFF U-19 Women's Championship|2021]])}}
|}

====Women's U-17 team====
{{Main|India women's national under-17 football team}}
Includes U-16 and U-15 team's performance.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
! Tournament
! data-sort-type="number"|Finals appearance
! Last appearance
! Best performance
|-
| [[FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup]] || 1/7 || – ''([[2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup|2022]], qualified as hosts)'' || –
|-
| [[AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup]] || 1/8 || [[2005 AFC U-17 Women's Championship|2005]] || {{sort|2|Group stage ([[2005 AFC U-17 Women's Championship|2005]])}}
|-
| [[SAFF U-15 Women's Championship]] || 3/3 || [[2019 SAFF U-15 Women's Championship|2019]] || {{sort|1|'''Champions''' ([[2018 SAFF U-15 Women's Championship|2018]], [[2019 SAFF U-15 Women's Championship|2019]])}}
|}

==Club competitions==
India currently has three national level leagues. Indian Super League is the top tier league, followed by I-League and [[I-League 2nd Division]] (from 2022). Presently, the ISL has no relegation, while the relegated I-League sides return to State Leagues since no such slot is available for the relegated I-League club in the I-League 2nd Division. The I-League 2nd Division, currently acts as a virtual final round for the top teams in the [[State football leagues in India|state leagues]] that are nominated by the [[List of Indian state football associations|State football associations]]. There is also no relegation from the I-League 2nd Division to the State Leagues currently.

===Evolution in tier system===
{{See also|Indian football league system}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 12px ;"
! rowspan="2" |Leagues
!Years
!1888
!1893–1898
! colspan="2" |1898–1941
! rowspan="2" |1941–1977
! rowspan="2" |1977–1996
! rowspan="2" |1996–1997
! rowspan="2" |1997–2001
! rowspan="2" |2001–2006
! rowspan="2" |2006–2007
! rowspan="2" |2007–2011
! rowspan="2" |2011–2014
! rowspan="2" |2014–2017
! rowspan="2" |2017–2019
! rowspan="2" |2019–2022
! rowspan="2" |2022–
|-
!'''Level'''
| rowspan="6" |''None''
| '''1893'''
|
| '''1937'''
|-
! rowspan="4" |National leagues
| rowspan="2" bgcolor="gold" |'''1'''
| rowspan="6" bgcolor="#A1E6FF" |Formation of [[Indian Football Association|Indian Football Association (IFA)]]
| rowspan="2" bgcolor="gold" |[[Calcutta Football League]]
| rowspan="11" bgcolor="#A1E6FF" |Formation of [[All India Football Federation|All India Football Federation (AIFF)]]
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" bgcolor="gold" |[[Santosh Trophy]]
| colspan="4" rowspan="2" bgcolor="gold" |[[National Football League (India)|National Football League]]
| colspan="3" rowspan="2" bgcolor="gold" |[[I-League]]
| colspan="2" bgcolor="gold" |[[Indian Super League]]
| rowspan="2" bgcolor="gold"|[[Indian Super League]]
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="gold" |[[I-League]]
|-
|bgcolor="silver" |'''2'''
| rowspan="3" |''None''
| colspan="3" |''None''
| colspan="3" bgcolor="silver" |[[National Football League Second Division (India)|NFL Second Division]]
| colspan="5" bgcolor="silver" |[[I-League 2nd Division]]
|bgcolor="silver"|[[I-League]]
|-
|bgcolor="#cc9966" |'''3'''
| colspan="5" |''None''
| bgcolor="#cc9966" |[[National Football League Third Division (India)|NFL Third Division]]
| colspan="5" |''Discontinued''
|bgcolor="#cc9966" |[[I-League 2nd Division]]
|-
![[State football leagues in India|State leagues]]
|bgcolor="#EDBCFF" |'''4-10'''
| colspan="12" bgcolor="#EDBCFF" |[[Calcutta Football League]] and [[State football leagues in India|other state leagues]]
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="6" |Tournaments/Cups
| bgcolor="#DEFF97" |[[Durand Cup]]
| bgcolor="#DEFF97" |
| colspan="12" bgcolor="#DEFF97" |[[Durand Cup]]
|-
| rowspan="5" |
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#A4FF54" |[[IFA Shield]]
| colspan="12" bgcolor="#A4FF54" |[[IFA Shield]]
|-
| rowspan="4" bgcolor="#A1E6FF" |
| rowspan="4" |
| rowspan="4" |
| colspan="8" bgcolor="#80FF54" |[[Federation Cup (India)|Federation Cup]]
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#80FF54" |[[Super Cup (India)|Super Cup]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |
| colspan="5" bgcolor="#7FEA5A" |[[Indian Super Cup (1997–2011)|Indian Super Cup]]
| colspan="5" |''Discontinued''
|-
| colspan="10" bgcolor="#5AEA6B" |[[Santosh Trophy]]
|-
| colspan="6" |
| bgcolor="#5FE59B" |[[Indian Super League]]
| colspan="2" |''Declared as joint top tier leagues along with [[I-League]]''
|''Declared as the highest tier league''
|}

===Leagues===
====[[National Football League (India)|National Football League]] (1996–2007)====
Founded in 1996, the [[National Football League (India)|National Football League]] was the first football league of India to be organised on a national scale.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Football League |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl.html |website=indianfootball.de}}</ref> The aim was to develop the sport in the country and give a platform for Indian footballers to showcase their talent. The [[National Football League Second Division (India)|second division]] was soon introduced by AIFF in 1997 to supplement the top division.<ref name="ifde2">{{cite web |title=NFL Division 2 |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl2.html |website=indianfootball.de}}</ref> Ten years after formation, a third division was briefly introduced for one season in 2006<ref>{{cite web |title=NFL Division Three |url=http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/india07.html#nfl2 |website=RSSSF}}</ref>

====[[I-League]] (2008–present)====
After the end of [[2006-07 National Football League (India)|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 [[2007–08 I-League|maiden]] I-League season.<ref>{{cite news |title=AIFF's I-League to have 10 teams |url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2007/nov/21aiff.htm |access-date=4 September 2020 |work=Rediff |date=21 November 2007}}</ref>

====[[I-League 2nd division]] (2007–present)====
The National Football League's second division was succeeded by the I-League second division in 2008. The State FAs nominate top teams from their respective State leagues to AIFF who then select the clubs based on criteria fulfilled. The number of clubs in this league varies each season. Since 2017–18 season, the league saw introduction of I-League reserve sides and these teams aren't eligible to get promoted since I-League is a top division.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=8773 |title=AIFF league committee meets at football house |date=19 February 2018}}</ref>

====[[Indian Super League]] (2014–present)====
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.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dhar|first1=Pulasta|title=The fall of the I-league|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/NuvXW1HCTGwcEoUQ8KH2cJ/The-fall-of-the-Ileague.html|access-date=13 August 2017|work=Livemint|date=6 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816062926/http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/NuvXW1HCTGwcEoUQ8KH2cJ/The-fall-of-the-Ileague.html|archive-date=16 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 [[IMG (company)|International Management Group]] on 9 December 2010.<ref name="IMG Deal 2010">{{cite web|title=AIFF signs 700-crore deal with IMG-RIL|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/AIFF-signs-700-crore-deal-with-IMG-RIL/articleshow/7072492.cms?referral=PM|website=Times of India|access-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140530143649/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/AIFF-signs-700-crore-deal-with-IMG-RIL/articleshow/7072492.cms?referral=PM|archive-date=30 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The Indian Super League was officially launched on 21 October 2013 by [[IMG (company)|IMG]]–[[Reliance Industries|Reliance]], [[Star Sports (Indian TV network)|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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Reliance, Star India, IMG Set to Launch ISL|url=http://img.com/news/news/2013/october/reliance,-img-worldwide-and-star-india,-launch-%60in.aspx|access-date=12 August 2017|work=Indian Super League|date=21 October 2013|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313201118/http://img.com/news/news/2013/october/reliance,-img-worldwide-and-star-india,-launch-%60in.aspx|archive-date=13 March 2016}}</ref> A total of eight franchises were bought by big corporations, [[Bollywood|Bollywood stars]] and [[cricket]]ers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly foray into football, win ISL bids|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/indian-super-league/top-stories/Sachin-Tendulkar-Sourav-Ganguly-foray-into-football-win-ISL-bids/articleshow/33700305.cms|website=Times of India|access-date=3 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102103756/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/indian-super-league/top-stories/Sachin-Tendulkar-Sourav-Ganguly-foray-into-football-win-ISL-bids/articleshow/33700305.cms|archive-date=2 November 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, The AFC were against allowing the ISL as the main league in India while I-League clubs [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]] and [[Mohun Bagan A.C.|Mohun Bagan]] wanted a complete merger of the ISL and I-League.<ref name="Kuala Lampur">{{cite news|title=Still no consensus on ISL, I-League merger despite high-profile meet|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/still-no-consensus-on-isl-i-league-merger-despite-high-profile-meet/articleshow/59038000.cms|access-date=13 August 2017|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=7 June 2017}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Recognition">{{cite news|title=ISL gets official recognition from AFC, becomes second national football league|url=http://www.firstpost.com/sports/isl-gets-official-recognition-from-afc-becomes-second-national-football-league-3755201.html|access-date=13 August 2017|work=FirstPost|date=28 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102044117/http://www.firstpost.com/sports/isl-gets-official-recognition-from-afc-becomes-second-national-football-league-3755201.html|archive-date=2 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 (India)|Federation Cup]] which was a true knockout cup competition.<ref>{{cite news|date=25 July 2017|title=AFC competitions committee's decisions published|work=The Asian Football Confederation|url=http://www.the-afc.com/media-releases/afc-competitions-committee%E2%80%99s-decisions-published|url-status=live|access-date=13 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816010704/http://www.the-afc.com/media-releases/afc-competitions-committee%E2%80%99s-decisions-published|archive-date=16 August 2017}}</ref>

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 and the existence of two parallel leagues will be abolished.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-afc.com/media/india-clubs-agree-to-work-together-on-league-roadmap|title=India clubs agree to work together on league roadmap|date=14 October 2019}}</ref>

===Cup competitions===

====[[Federation Cup (India)|Federation Cup]]====
Federation Cup (abbreviated as Fed cup) is an annual knockout style club football tournament in India. It has started in 1977. From its inception till [[I-League]] has been started in 1997 (then called [[National Football League (India)|NFL]]), it was the most prestigious national level club football tournament in India. Previously, the winning club of Federation fused to get a chance to compete in the continental level in [[AFC Cup]] along with I-League champion team. Presently, the cup has been discontinued since the [[2017–18 in Indian football|2017–18]] season and a new [[Super Cup (India)|Super Cup]] was inaugurated from the same season and this tournament is the country's top tier cup competition.

====[[Durand Cup]]====
The Durand Football Tournament was started by then, India's Foreign Secretary, Mortimer Durand at Simla, India, in 1888, initial matches were played in Dagshai. It was basically initiated, as a recreation for British troops stationed in India. The Durand Cup was twice suspended, during the two world wars. In 1940 the venue was shifted to [[New Delhi]].

====[[Super Cup (India)|Super Cup]]====
The Super Cup is a [[Single-elimination tournament|knockout]] [[Association football|football]] tournament. The top six teams from both the top-tier leagues for professional football in India, the [[I-League]] and [[Indian Super League]], qualify directly for the main round of the competition. The bottom four clubs from each league participate in qualification round to complete.

====[[IFA Shield]]====
The IFA Shield is an annual football competition organized by the [[Indian Football Association]] (IFA), [[West Bengal]]. It is the fourth oldest club cup competition in the world (started in 1893) after the [[FA Cup]], the [[Scottish Cup]] and the [[Durand Cup]]. Along with local clubs of Bengal, clubs all around the nation and even overseas are duly invited to participate in this tournament.

====Senior National Football Championship / [[Santosh Trophy]]====
Santosh Trophy is an annual Indian football tournament which is contested by states and government institutions. The trophy is named after the late Maharaja Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhary of Santosh. The first winners were Bengal, who also lead the all-time winners list with 32 titles till date.

====Lal Bahadur Shastri Cup====
The Lal Bahadur Shastri Cup, also known as the Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Football Tournament, is an Indian [[association football]] tournament held in [[Delhi]] and organized by the Shastri Football Club.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Shirui Lily Cup begins, United Brothers FC beat Phungyar FC 2-0|url=https://ifp.co.in/11119/shirui-lily-cup-begins-united-brothers-fc-beat-phungyar-fc-2-0|access-date=2021-11-27|website=ifp.co.in|language=en}}</ref> Named in honor of former Indian prime minister [[Lal Bahadur Shastri]], the tournament was first held in 1978. Apart from some top clubs from Delhi, clubs from neighbouring states have also participated in the tournament.

The 14th edition of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Cup was held in 2004 after a five-year hiatus.<ref>{{Cite web|date=18 July 2017|url=http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2004lalbahadurshastricup.html|title=16th Lal Bahadur Shastri Cup 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170718231431/http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2004lalbahadurshastricup.html|archive-date=2 October 2019|access-date=26 December 2021|website=indianfootball.de|url-status=dead}}</ref> The most recent tournament was held in 2006 and won by [[Indian Air Force (football team)|Indian Air Force]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Club History|url=http://www.shastrifc.in/club-history.php|access-date=2021-12-26|website=www.shastrifc.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-02 |title=List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Cup |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/lalbahadurshastricup.html |access-date=2021-12-26 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002195945/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/lalbahadurshastricup.html |archive-date=2 October 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Staff|date=2006-03-18|title=PSEB down Western Railway in Shastri memorial football|url=https://www.oneindia.com/2006/03/17/pseb-down-western-railway-in-shastri-memorial-football-1142684483.html|access-date=2021-12-26|website=www.oneindia.com|language=en}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+List of Lal Bahadur Shastri Cup finals<ref>{{cite web|first=Arunava|last=Chaudhuri|url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/lalbahadurshastricup.html|title=List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Cup|website=indianfootball.de|access-date=15 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315014206/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/lalbahadurshastricup.html|archive-date=11 December 2021|publisher=Indian Football Network|url-status=dead}}</ref>
!Year
!Champions
!Score
!Runners-up
|-
|1978
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |{{sort|aaaaa| '''DESU''' and '''[[Aryan FC]]''' - (joint winners)}}
|-
|1979
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |{{sort|aaaaa| '''Youngsters FC''' and '''[[Simla Youngs FC]]''' - (joint winners)}}
|-
|1980
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |{{sort|aaaaa| '''[[New Delhi Heroes FC]]''' and '''[[Garhwal FC|Garhwal Heroes]]''' - (joint winners)}}
|-
|1981
|'''Delhi Police'''
| –
|[[Indian Air Force (football team)|Indian Air Force]]
|-
|1983
|'''[[Indian Air Force (football team)|Indian Air Force]]'''
| –
|[[Garhwal FC|Garhwal Heroes]]
|-
|1985
|'''[[Simla Youngs FC]]'''
| –
|Goans SC
|-
|1986
|'''[[Army Ordnance Corps (India)|AOC]] Secunderabad'''
| –
|Benares Heroes
|-
|1992
|'''[[Indian National FC]]'''
| –
|Shastri FC
|-
|1993
|'''Ludhiana Police'''
| –
|Shastri FC
|-
|1994
|'''Shastri FC'''
| –
|Ludhiana Police
|-
|1995
|'''[[Army Ordnance Corps (India)|AOC]] Secunderabad'''
| –
|
|-
|1997
|'''Rail Coach Factory'''
| –
|DFA Varanasi
|-
|1998
|'''[[Indian Bank Recreational Club|Indian Bank]]'''
|1–0
|Delhi Blues XI
|-
|2004
|'''[[Tata Football Academy]]'''
|2–0
|[[Bengal Mumbai FC]]
|-
|2005
|'''Punjab State Electricity Board'''
|3–1
|[[South-East-Central Railway Sports Club|South-East-Central Railway]]
|-
|2006
|'''[[Indian Air Force (football team)|Indian Air Force]]'''
|1-1, 2-2, 5-4 {{pso}}
|[[Garhwal FC|Garhwal Heroes]]
|}

===Overview===
The competitions currently active in Indian football.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:center"
|-
!Tournament
!Current champions
!Reference
|-
|[[Indian Super League]]
|[[Jamshedpur FC]]
|
|-
|[[Indian Super League|ISL Playoffs]]
|[[Hyderabad FC]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.indiansuperleague.com/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828144656/https://www.indiansuperleague.com/ |archive-date=2018-08-28 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|[[I-League]]
|[[Gokulam Kerala FC]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://i-league.org/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807073903/http://i-league.org/ |archive-date=2018-08-07 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|[[Super Cup (India)|Super Cup]]
|[[FC Goa]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.supercup.in/news/bengaluru-humble-east-bengal-to-become-hero-super-cups-first-champions |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806030024/http://www.supercup.in/news/bengaluru-humble-east-bengal-to-become-hero-super-cups-first-champions |archive-date=2018-08-06 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|[[Durand Cup]]
|[[FC Goa]]
|
|-
|[[Santosh Trophy]]
|[[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
|
|-
|[[I-League 2nd Division]]
|[[Rajasthan United FC]]
|
|-
|[[Elite League (India)|Elite Youth League (U18)]]
|[[Minerva Punjab FC|Minerva Punjab]]
|
|-
|[[B.C. Roy Trophy|Junior NFC (U19)]]
|[[Mizoram football team|Mizoram]]
|
|-
|[[Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy|Sub-Junior NFC (U16)]]
|[[Meghalaya football team|Meghalaya]]
|
|-
|[[Indian Women's League]]
|[[Gokulam Kerala FC]]
|<ref>{{cite news |title=Gokulam Kerala crowned new Hero IWL champions after thrilling finale |url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/gokulam-kerala-crowned-new-hero-iwl-champions-after-thrilling-finale |access-date=15 February 2020 |work=AIFF |date=14 February 2020}}</ref>
|-
|[[Senior Women's National Football Championship|Senior Women's NFC]]
|[[Manipur women's football team|Manipur]]
|
|-
|[[Junior Girl's National Football Championship|Junior Girl's NFC (U19)]]
|[[Himachal Pradesh women's football team|Himachal Pradesh]]
|
|-
|[[Sub–Junior Girl's National Football Championship|Sub-Junior Girl's NFC (U17)]]
|[[Jharkhand women's football team|Jharkhand]]
|
|-
|[[Futsal Club Championship]]
|[[Delhi FC]]
|
|-
|[[Reliance Foundation Development League|RF Development League]]
|[[Bengaluru FC Reserves and Academy|Bengaluru FC Reserves]]
|
|}

===Qualification for Asian competitions===
{{See also|Indian clubs in the Asian Football}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Competition
!Qualifying team
!Notes
|-
!|[[AFC Champions League]]
|Premiers of [[Indian Super League]] || Qualification to the Group stage
|-
!rowspan=2|[[AFC Cup]]
|Winners of [[I-League]] || Qualification to the Group stage
|-
|Champions or league stage runners-up of [[Indian Super League]] || Qualification to the Qualifying play-off
|-
!|[[AFC Women's Club Championship]]
|Champions of [[Indian Women's League]] || Qualification to the Group stage
|}

==State leagues football==
{{See|State football leagues in India}}

Most of lower-level state leagues are considered to be semi-professional. There are currently total of 37 [[Indian State Football Associations|state associations]] (including union territories) affiliated with the AIFF.<ref>{{cite web|title=State Associations|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/state-associations.php?&pagesize=192|website=All India Football Federation}}</ref>
These state associations have state leagues affiliated to them. The top teams of state leagues are eligible to apply for the [[I-League 2nd Division]]. 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Calcutta Football League|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/calcutta-football-league|publisher=Times of India}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! State association
! League
! Founded
! Divisions
|-
| [[Arunachal Pradesh Football Association|Arunachal Pradesh]]
| [[Indrajit Namchoom Arunachal League]]
| 2017
| 1
|-
| [[Assam Football Association|Assam]]
| [[Assam State Premier League]]
| 2008
| 2
|-
| [[Delhi]]
| [[FD Senior Division]]
| 1948
| 3
|-
| [[Goa Football Association|Goa]]
| [[Goa Professional League]]
| 1951
| 3
|-
| [[Himachal Pradesh Football Association|Himachal Pradesh]]
| [[Himachal Football League]]
| 2020
| 1
|-
| [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]
| [[JKFA Professional League]]
| 2021
| 1
|-
| [[Karnataka State Football Association|Karnataka]]
| [[Bangalore Super Division]]
| 2001
| 4
|-
| [[Kerala Football Association|Kerala]]
| [[Kerala Premier League]]
| 2013
| 1
|-
| [[Madhya Pradesh]]
| [[Madhya Pradesh Premier League]]
| 2021
| 1
|-
| [[Western India Football Association|Maharashtra]]
| [[Mumbai Football League]]
| 1902
| 5
|-
| [[All Manipur Football Association|Manipur]]
| [[Manipur State League]]
| 2006
| 1
|-
| [[Meghalaya]]
| [[Shillong Premier League]]
| 2010
| 2
|-
| [[Mizoram Football Association|Mizoram]]
| [[Mizoram Premier League]]
| 2012
| 2
|-
| [[Nagaland]]
| [[Nagaland Premier League]]
| 2011
| 1
|-
| [[Football Association of Odisha|Odisha]]
| [[FAO League]]
| 2010
| 3
|-
| [[Punjab Football Association|Punjab]]
| [[Punjab State Super Football League]]
| 2001
| 2
|-
| [[Rajasthan Football Association|Rajasthan]]
| [[Rajasthan State Men's League]]
| 2019
| 1
|-
| [[Sikkim Football Association|Sikkim]]
| [[Sikkim Premier Division League]]
| 2018
| 1
|-
| [[Tamil Nadu Football Association|Tamil Nadu]]
| [[Chennai Football League]]
| 1934
| 5
|-
| [[Tripura Football Association|Tripura]]
| Agartala League
| –
| 1
|-
| [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| Lucknow A Division
| –
| 2
|-
| [[Uttarakhand State Football Association|Uttarakhand]]
| [[Uttarakhand Super League]]
| 2016
| 1
|-
| [[Indian Football Association|West Bengal]]
| [[Calcutta Football League]]
| 1898
| 7
|}

==Women's football==
{{main| Women's football in India}}

Women's football has not had the relative head start over the rest of the world that the men's game has had, and also has not had the chance to spread through the country like its male counterpart. The game was administered by the Women's Football Federation of India (WFFI) from 1975 until the early 1990s when they were absorbed into the AIFF. However, there are complaints that women's football is treated as a poor relation to the men's game leading to (unfulfilled) plans to de-merge the WFFI.<ref name="indien-netzwerk1">{{cite web |author=Autor |url=http://www.indien-netzwerk.de/navigation/frauen/artikel/achaudhuri-womenfootball.htm |title=Gender and sport in India: aspects of women's football by Arunava Chaudhuri (english) |publisher=Indien-netzwerk.de |access-date=2010-05-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20030829121209/http://www.indien-netzwerk.de/navigation/frauen/artikel/achaudhuri-womenfootball.htm |archive-date=2003-08-29 }}</ref>

The women's game, like the men's game, also has its early pioneers in the state of West Bengal. The large Kolkata teams, [[Kingfisher East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]] and [[Mohun Bagan A.C.|Mohun Bagan]], started women's club sides in the 2000–01 season, and they participate with other teams in the [[Calcutta Women's Football League]]. However, it has been seen recently that players from [[Odisha]] and [[Manipur]] have made advances in the game. Players from these two states make up a large part of the [[India women's national football team]].

The women's national competition is played on a state vs. state basis in the [[India women's football championship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aiffonline.com/women-comp/index.asp |title=The Official Website Of All India Football Federation |date=2005-02-04 |access-date=2014-02-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050204233655/http://aiffonline.com/women-comp/index.asp |archive-date=4 February 2005 }}</ref> There are also similar national championships for junior teams like the ''Junior Girls National Championship'' (for under 19s) and the ''Under-17 Girls National Championship''.

Some female players have become internationally recognised. Among them are Chitra Gangadharan who was selected to play for the All Asian Star team. Jaanki Kotecha was selected as captain to the All Asian Star Team in 2008–2009, where she led her team to victory. In February 2000, Sujata Kar and Alpana Sil became the first Indian footballers to sign a contract outside India. They signed with the German team [[TSV Crailsheim]], but had to return after a month due to problems with the clearance of their international transfer.

Until 1983, women's football took part in international tournaments like the [[AFC Women's Asian Cup]]. For example, the team won silver in 1980 at Calicut. In later years it had become poor in status just like its male counterpart. During the [[2003 AFC Women's Championship]], the Indian team were embarrassed by a 12–0 defeat to [[China women's national football team|China]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportstaronnet.com/tss2628/stories/20030712005400600.htm |title=Sound planning needed |publisher=Sportstaronnet.com |access-date=2010-05-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090920201556/http://www.sportstaronnet.com/tss2628/stories/20030712005400600.htm |archive-date=2009-09-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The poor support of the national team by the AIFF became evident, when the team's trip to Germany was only made possible by [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Non Resident Indians]] in the country, and by the support of the [[German Football Association]]. Furthermore, championships are held in remote locations, and national media coverage is said to be restricted to state and local newspapers.<ref name="indien-netzwerk1"/>

The women's game reached a new low in June 2009 when FIFA delisted the side from its world rankings for being out of action for more than 18 months. This comes at a time when the game was gaining in popularity amongst the younger generation as evident by the local leagues conducted around the country. The recently concluded Mumbai Women's Football League 2009–10 organised by the MDFA (Mumbai District Football Association) was a major success and featured many talented players who had played for the national team. Furthermore, the popularity of the event gave hope that the women's game could rise in India.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.footballmumbai.com/index_women.html |title=Women's Home |publisher=Football Mumbai |date=2009-06-27 |access-date=2010-05-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101014111628/http://www.footballmumbai.com/index_women.html |archive-date=2010-10-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Indian Women's League===
{{Main|Indian Women's League}}
On 21 April 2016, over a year after the AIFF started plans for a women's football league, the AIFF President, Praful Patel, said that a women's football league would kick off in October 2016 with six teams to be decided, with the goal to expand to eight teams by 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Womens-football-league-from-October/articleshow/51922352.cms |title=Women's football league from October – Times of India |website=Timesofindia.indiatimes.com |date=2016-04-21 |access-date=2017-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160926070630/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Womens-football-league-from-October/articleshow/51922352.cms |archive-date=2016-09-26 |url-status=live }}</ref> Just over two months later, on 5 July 2016, the AIFF organized a workshop to discuss the India women's national team and discuss the proposed women's football league. Five Indian Super League sides (Delhi Dynamos, Chennaiyin FC, Kerala Blasters, FC Pune City, Atletico de Kolkata) and three I-League teams (Bengaluru FC, Aizawl FC, Mumbai FC) attended the workshop. It was announced that the league would feature the eight teams in the league and two other spots would be determined through a pre-qualification round.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/AIFF-conducts-workshop-for-National-Womens-League/articleshow/53062408.cms |title=AIFF conducts workshop for National Women's League – Times of India |website=Timesofindia.indiatimes.com |date=2016-07-05 |access-date=2017-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709050934/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/AIFF-conducts-workshop-for-National-Womens-League/articleshow/53062408.cms |archive-date=2016-07-09 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 14 October, the AIFF announced that the preliminary rounds for the Women's League would begin on 17 October 2016 in which ten teams are split into two groups of five teams each, with the winner from each group qualifying for the national finals.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=7522 |title=Welcome to All India Football Federation |website=The-aiff.com |date=2016-10-14 |access-date=2017-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019020831/https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=7522 |archive-date=2016-10-19 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Stadiums==
There are many football stadiums in India, however only a few of them are currently of world standards. These are namely the largest stadium in India, the [[Salt Lake Stadium]] in [[Kolkata]] with a seating capacity of 85,000, [[Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi|Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium]] in [[New Delhi]] with a capacity of over 60,000 and the [[Ambedkar Stadium]] with a capacity of 20,000 (but is known to have had crowds of 35,000 in the [[2009 Nehru Cup]]). [[Barabati Stadium]] in [[Cuttack]], with seating capacity of over 45,000 and [[Kalinga Stadium]] in [[Bhubaneswar]], with seating capacity approximately 55,000 are two major arenas for football events in [[Odisha]]. In Sikkim, the [[Paljor Stadium]] in [[Gangtok]] which seats over 25,000 is famous as one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world as it is situated in the backdrop of Himalayas. In [[Shillong]] the main stadium is the [[Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong|Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium]] with a capacity of 25,000 standing. Both the Paljor and the JLN in Shillong have been renovated and now have artificial playing surfaces. Some other stadiums important stadiums are the [[Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex]] in [[Pune]], the [[Barasat Stadium]] in [[Barasat]], the [[Fatorda]] in [[Goa]], the [[Kaloor International Stadium]] in [[Kochi]], [[Municipal Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode|Municipal Corporation Stadium]] in [[Kozhikode]], the [[Nehru Stadium, Guwahati|Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium]] in [[Guwahati]], the [[The Arena (Ahmedabad)|EKA Arena]] in [[Ahmedabad]]. Apart from the above-mentioned stadiums, there are hundreds of more stadiums in the country. However, with India likely to host the [[2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup]] there is definitely going to be massive renovation of said stadiums around the country.
The following stadiums are affiliated by [[All India Football Federation]].

{| class ="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! City !! [[States of India|State]] !! Est. !! Capacity !! Home Team !! Notes
|-
| [[Ambedkar Stadium]] †*|| [[Delhi]] || [[National Capital Region (India)|NCR]] || 2007 || 35,000 || [[Sudeva Delhi FC]] ||
|-
| [[B.P.T. Ground]] || [[Mumbai]] || [[Maharashtra]] || 1998 || 5,000 || [[Bengal Mumbai FC]] ||
|-
| [[Baichung Stadium]] * || [[Namchi]] || [[Sikkim]] || 2011 || 30,000 || ||
|-
| [[Bakhshi Stadium]] || [[Srinagar]] || [[Kashmir]] || n/a || 30,000 || Lonestar Kashmir ||
|-
| [[Bangalore Football Stadium]] *|| [[Bangalore]] || [[Karnataka]] || 1967 || 8,400 || [[Bengaluru FC]] [[Hindustan Aeronautics Limited S.C.|HAL Bangalore]] ||Being renovated
|-
| [[Barabati Stadium]] || [[Cuttack]] || [[Odisha]] || 1958 || 45,000 || Odisha Football Team ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orisports.com/SheduleDetails.aspx?cId=ODYy |title=Shedule [Sic] |website=Orisports.com |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113050022/http://orisports.com/SheduleDetails.aspx?cId=ODYy |archive-date=2016-11-13 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Barasat Stadium|Vidyasagar Krirangan]] || [[Barasat]] || [[West Bengal]] || || 22,000 ||[[Mohun Bagan A.C.|Mohun Bagan A.C]], [[SC East Bengal]], [[Mohammedan S.C. (Kolkata)|Mohammedan S.C]]||No seats<ref>[http://news.chennaionline.com/newsitem.aspx?NEWSID=2e2cf283-c673-4f2d-a494-a8f4ce1914df&CATEGORYNAME=SPO Bengal's Barasat stadium gets two star grading from FIFA] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610213825/http://news.chennaionline.com/newsitem.aspx?NEWSID=2e2cf283-c673-4f2d-a494-a8f4ce1914df&CATEGORYNAME=SPO |date=10 June 2015 }} ''Chennaionline.com''. Retrieved 17 November 2013</ref>
|-
| [[Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium]] || [[Ranchi]] || [[Jharkhand]] || 2006 || 35,000 || ||
|-
| [[Birsa Munda Football Stadium]] || [[Ranchi]] || [[Jharkhand]] || || 40,000 || ||
|-
| [[CAFVD Sports Stadium]] || [[Khadki]] || [[Maharashtra]] || || 5,000 || Khadki Blues FC Khadki NDA Youth Club ||
|-
| [[Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium]] || [[Trivandrum]] || [[Kerala]] || 1956 || 25,000 || Kerala Police FC ||
|-
| [[Chhatrasal Stadium]] || [[Model Town (Delhi)|Delhi]] || [[National Capital Region (India)|NCR]] || 2000|| 16,000 || ||
|-
| [[Chowgule Sports Centre]] *|| [[Margao]] || [[Goa]] || 2013 || 5,000 || [[AIFF Elite Academy]] ||<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-aiff.com/other-regional-academy.htm?id=1 |title=Welcome to All India Football Federation |website=The-aiff.com |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113043739/https://www.the-aiff.com/other-regional-academy.htm?id=1 |archive-date=2016-11-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| Civil Services Ground || [[Chanakyapuri|Delhi]] || [[National Capital Region (India)|NCR]] || || || [[Simla Youngs F.C.]] ||
|-
| [[Cooperage Ground|Cooperage Football Stadium]] *|| [[Mumbai]] || [[Maharashtra]] || 1993 || 5,000 || [[Mumbai F.C.|Mumbai FC]] [[Air India FC]] ||<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://arunfoot.blogspot.nl/2011/06/bombay-high-court-allows-cooperage.html|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130811141812/http://arunfoot.blogspot.nl/2011/06/bombay-high-court-allows-cooperage.html|archive-date=2013-08-11|url-status=dead|title=Arunava about Football: Bombay High Court allows Cooperage redevelopment!}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dadaji Kondadev Stadium]] || [[Thane]] || [[Maharashtra]] || || 30,000 || ||No seats
|-
| Dr. Rajendra Prasad Football Stadium || [[Neemuch]] || [[Madhya Pradesh]] || || 10,000 || [[Pride Sports F.C.]]||
|-
| [[Dr Sampurnanda Stadium]] || [[Varanasi]] || [[Uttar Pradesh]] || 1964 || 10,000 || Varanasi City FC ||
|-
| [[Duler Stadium]] *|| [[Mapusa]] || [[Goa]] || || 8,000 || [[Churchill Brothers S.C.]] [[Dempo SC]] ||
|-
| [[DY Patil Stadium]] || [[Navi Mumbai]] || [[Maharashtra]] || 2008 || 55,000 || [[Mumbai City FC]] ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dypsa.in/ |title=D.Y. Patil Sports Academy |website=Dypsa.in |date=24 December 2015 |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502055731/http://www.dypsa.in/ |archive-date=2 May 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[East Bengal Ground]] *|| [[Kolkata]] || [[West Bengal]] || || 23,500 || [[East Bengal F.C.]] || No seats
|-
| [[Eden Gardens]] †|| [[Kolkata]] || [[West Bengal]] || 1864 || 66,000 || ||
|-
| [[The Arena (Ahmedabad)|EKA Arena]] †*|| [[Ahmedabad]] || [[Gujarat]] || 2017 || 20,000 || [[ARA F.C.]] ||
|-
| [[EMS Stadium]] † || [[Kozhikode]] || [[Kerala]] || 1977 || 50,000 || [[Viva Kerala FC]] ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kozhikode.com/importance.htm |title=(Calicut), Kerala, India – Kozhikode (Calicut) Hotels, Kozhikode (Calicut) resorts, Kozhikode (Calicut) tourism, Kozhikode (Calicut) real estate and Kozhikode (Calicut) businesses |website=Kozhikode.com |date=14 May 1950 |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024112851/http://kozhikode.com/importance.htm |archive-date=24 October 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Faizabad Sports Complex]] || [[Faizabad]] || [[Uttar Pradesh]] || 1945 || 30,000 || || Under-construction
|-
| [[Fatorda Stadium]] † || [[Margao]] || [[Goa]] || 1989 || 19,800 || [[Salgaocar S.C.|Salgaocar]] [[Sporting Clube de Goa]] [[FC Goa]] ||<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indiansuperleaguefootball.in/indian-super-league-stadiums-a-walkthrough-part-2/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922034958/http://indiansuperleaguefootball.in/indian-super-league-stadiums-a-walkthrough-part-2/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-09-22|title=Indian Super League Stadiums - A Walkthrough (Part-2) > Fatorda Stadium & JL Nehru Stadium, Kochi | Indian Super League Football|date=22 September 2014}}</ref>
|-
| [[Fr. Agnel Stadium]] || [[Navi Mumbai]] || [[Maharashtra]] || 2004 || 5,000 || Fr. Agnel Gymkhana ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/136/india/2011/10/31/2736326/fifa-aiff-academy-to-be-set-up-in-navi-mumbai |title=FIFA-AIFF Academy To Be Set Up in Navi Mumbai |publisher=Goal.com |date=31 October 2011 |access-date=2012-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523231302/http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/136/india/2011/10/31/2736326/fifa-aiff-academy-to-be-set-up-in-navi-mumbai |archive-date=23 May 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium]] || [[Hyderabad]] || [[Telangana]] || 2002 || 32,000 || [[Hyderabad FC]] [[Fateh Hyderabad AFC]]||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kuchipudi.siliconandhra.org/ |title=Home – SiliconAndhra 5th International Kuchipudi Dance Convention |website=Kuchipudi.siliconandhra.org |date=25 October 2016 |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111201911/http://kuchipudi.siliconandhra.org/ |archive-date=11 November 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| Gandhi Ground || [[Udaipur]] || [[Rajasthan]] || || 10,000 || ||{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}
|-
| [[Trivandrum International Stadium|Greenfield Stadium]] † || [[Trivandrum]] || [[Kerala]] || 2013 || 50,000 || ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collagedesign.net/kerala-sports-complex.html |title=Collagedesign |publisher=Collagedesign |access-date=2016-11-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230122610/http://www.collagedesign.net/kerala-sports-complex.html |archive-date=30 December 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
|-
| [[Guru Gobind Singh Stadium]] || [[Jalandhar]] || [[Punjab]] || 1971 || 30,000 || [[JCT FC]] ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asianfootballfeast.com/jct/ |title=Welcome asianfootballfeast.com - Hostmonster.com |website=Asianfootballfeast.com |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232251/http://www.asianfootballfeast.com/jct/ |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Guru Nanak Stadium]] || [[Ludhiana]] || [[Punjab]] || || 15,000 || [[JCT FC]] ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jctfootball.com/stadium/homeStadium.aspx |title=Home Stadium |publisher=JCT Football |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110191956/http://www.jctfootball.com/stadium/homeStadium.aspx |archive-date=2016-11-10 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Howrah Municipal Corporation Stadium]] || [[Howrah]] || [[West Bengal]] || || 26,000 || ||
|-
| [[Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium]] † || [[Guwahati]] || [[Assam]] || 2007 || 35,000 || [[NorthEast United FC]] ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldstadiums.com/asia/countries/india.shtml |title=Stadiums in India |publisher=World Stadiums |date=17 November 2015 |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924095432/http://www.worldstadiums.com/asia/countries/india.shtml |archive-date=24 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| [[Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima|Indira Gandhi Stadium]] || [[Kohima]] || [[Nagaland]] || 2003 || 20,000 || ||
|-
| [[Jaipal Singh Stadium]] || [[Ranchi]] || [[Jharkhand]] || 1977 || 10,000 || ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Jaipal-Singh-Stadium-to-get-international-look/articleshow/22242547.cms |title=Jaipal Singh Stadium to get international look – Times of India |website=Timesofindia.indiatimes.com |date=3 September 2013 |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419232304/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Jaipal-Singh-Stadium-to-get-international-look/articleshow/22242547.cms |archive-date=19 April 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Jawahar Municipal Stadium]] || [[Kannur]] || [[Kerala]] || || 30,000 || '''Local football clubs''' ||<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/renovation-of-kannur-municipal-stadium-mooted/article6128618.ece |title=Renovation of Kannur municipal stadium mooted – KERALA |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=19 June 2014 |access-date=2016-11-12}}</ref>
|-
| [[Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Chennai)|Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium]] † || [[Chennai]] || [[Tamil Nadu]] || 1993 || 40,000 || [[Chennaiyin FC]] ||
|-
| [[Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Kochi)|Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium]] † || [[Kochi]] || [[Kerala]] || 1993 || 60,000 || [[Kerala Blasters|Kerala Blasters F.C.]] ||
|-
| [[Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Shillong)|Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium]] || [[Shillong]] || [[Meghalaya]] || || 30,000 || [[Shillong Lajong F.C.]] [[Royal Wahingdoh F.C.]] ||
|-
| [[Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Coimbatore|Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium]] || [[Coimbatore]] || [[Tamil Nadu]] || 1971
| 30,000 || [[Chennai City FC]]
|
|-
| Jorethang Ground || [[Jorethang]] || [[Sikkim]] || || 10,000 || ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sikkimnow.blogspot.in/2013/11/cms-gold-cup-kicks-off-in-jorethang.html |title=Sikkim NOW!: CM's Gold Cup kicks off in Jorethang |website=Sikkimnow.blogspot.in |date=13 November 2013 |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113035051/http://sikkimnow.blogspot.in/2013/11/cms-gold-cup-kicks-off-in-jorethang.html |archive-date=13 November 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Jorhat Stadium]] || [[Jorhat]] || [[Assam]] || 1950 || 12,000 || Jorhat Town Club ||
|-
| [[JRD Tata Sports Complex]] || [[Jamshedpur]] || [[Jharkhand]] || || 24,424 || [[Jamshedpur FC]] [[Tata Football Academy]] ||
|-
| [[Judges Field]] || [[Guwahati]] || [[Assam]] || 1908 || 5,000 || [[Gauhati Town Club]] ||
|-
| [[Kalinga Stadium]] || [[Bhubaneswar]] || [[Odisha]] || 2008 || 50,000 || [[Samaleswari S.C.]] ||
|-
| [[Kalyani Stadium]] *|| [[Kalyani, West Bengal|Kalyani]] || [[West Bengal]] || 1980 || 8,000 || [[United S.C.]] ||
|-
| [[Kanchenjunga Stadium]] †*|| [[Siliguri]] || [[West Bengal]] || || 30,000 || [[United S.C.]] ||
|-
| KASA Stadium || [[Diphu]] || [[Assam]] || || 25,000 || KA Morning Star FC ||
|-
| [[Khuman Lampak Main Stadium]] || [[Imphal]] || [[Manipur]] || 1999 || 26,000 || [[NEROCA FC]] ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110526/jsp/northeast/story_14028767.jsp |title=The Telegraph – Calcutta (Kolkata) | Northeast | Khuman Lampak to get floodlights |website=Telegraphindia.com |date=26 May 2011 |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304212614/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110526/jsp/northeast/story_14028767.jsp |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Jadavpur Stadium]] || [[Jadavpur]] || [[West Bengal]] || || 12,000 || ||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110628/jsp/calcutta/story_14152943.jsp|title=Football stadium without a goal|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)]]|date=28 June 2009|access-date=2013-04-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109143714/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110628/jsp/calcutta/story_14152943.jsp|archive-date=9 January 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Lajwanti Stadium || [[Hoshiarpur]] || [[Punjab]] || || 15,000 || ||
|-
| [[Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium]] || [[Hyderabad]] || [[Telangana]] || 1950 || 25,000 || ||
|-
| [[Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium (Kollam)|Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium]] || [[Kollam]] || [[Kerala]] || || 30,000 || ||
|-
| [[Lammual|Lammual Stadium]] || [[Aizawl]] || [[Mizoram]] || || 5,000 || [[Aizawl F.C.]] ||
|-
| [[Madan Mohan Malviya Stadium]] || [[Allahabad]] || [[Uttar Pradesh]] || || 5,000 || ||
|-
| [[Mahabir Stadium]] || [[Hisar (city)|Hissar]] || [[Haryana]] || 1972 || 25,000 || ||
|-
| [[Maharaja College Stadium]] || [[Ernakulam]] || [[Kerala]] || || 30,000 || [[Josco FC]] ||
|-
| [[Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium]] || [[Malappuram]] || [[Kerala]] || 2013 || 25,000 || [[Malappuram District Sports Complex & Football Academy|Malappuram Football Academy]] ||
|-
| [[Calicut Medical College Stadium]] || [[Kozhikode]] || [[Kerala]] || 2013 || 10,000 || ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/kerala-to-host-35th-national-games-from-january-31/article6152611.ece |title=Kerala to host 35th National Games from January 31 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=27 June 2014 |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122121446/http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/kerala-to-host-35th-national-games-from-january-31/article6152611.ece |archive-date=22 January 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kerala2015.com/general-info/venue-managers |title=Venue Manegers | 35th National Games, Kerala |website=Kerala2015.com |date=15 February 2015 |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105064310/http://kerala2015.com/general-info/venue-managers |archive-date=5 November 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Maulana Azad Stadium]] || [[Jammu]] || [[Jammu]] || 1966 || 30,000 || [[Lonestar Kashmir F.C.]] ||
|-
| Mela Ground || [[Kalimpong]] || [[West Bengal]] || || 10,000 || ||
|-
| [[Mohammedan Sporting Ground]] *|| [[Kolkata]] || [[West Bengal]] || || 15,000 || [[Mohammedan S.C. (Kolkata)|Mohammedan S.C.]] || No seats
|-
| [[Mohun Bagan Ground]] *|| [[Kolkata]] || [[West Bengal]] || 1891 || 22,000 || [[Mohun Bagan A.C.]] || No seat
|-
| Mulna Stadium || [[Balaghat]] || [[Madhya Pradesh]] || || 10,000 || ||
|-
| [[Nehru Maidan]] || [[Mangalore]] || [[Karnataka]] || 1950 || 2,000 || various clubs || No seating
|-
| [[Netaji Stadium]] || [[Port Blair]] || [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]] || || 10,000 || ||
|-
| [[Nehru Stadium, Durgapur|Nehru Stadium]] || [[Durgapur]] || [[West Bengal]] || || 10,000 || ||
|-
| [[Nehru Stadium, Guwahati|Nehru Stadium]] || [[Guwahati]] || [[Assam]] || 1962 || 15,000 ||[[ASEB SC]] [[FC Green Valley]] [[Guwahati FC]] ||
|-
| [[New Bangalore Football Stadium]] *
|| [[Bangalore]] || [[Karnataka]] || TBA || 45,000 || [[Bengaluru FC]] || Under-construction<ref name=JSW>{{cite web|last=Manjunath|first=Akash|title=Parth Jindal: Like-minded corporates needed for I-League's popularity|url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/1064/i-league/2014/04/24/4772324/parth-jindal-like-minded-corporates-needed-for-i-leagues?ICID=AR|work=Goal.com|access-date=3 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703133307/http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/1064/i-league/2014/04/24/4772324/parth-jindal-like-minded-corporates-needed-for-i-leagues?ICID=AR|archive-date=3 July 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Oil India Ground]] || [[Duliajan]] || [[Assam]] || 1964 || 10,000 || [[Oil India FC]] ||
|-
| [[Paljor Stadium]] *|| [[Gangtok]] || [[Sikkim]] || 1939 || 25,000 || [[United Sikkim F.C.]] [[Gangtok Himalayan SC]] ||
|-
| [[Patliputra Sports Complex]] || [[Patna]] || [[Bihar]] || 2011 || 40,000 || ||
|-
| Polo Field || [[Tezpur]] || [[Assam]] || 2015 || || Tezpur United FC ||
|-
| [[Pune District Football Association Stadium]] || [[Pune]] || [[Maharashtra]] || 2014 || 5,000 || Pune District Football Association ||
|-
| Pune FC Training Ground *|| [[Pune]] || [[Maharashtra]] || 2011 || 5,000 || [[Pune F.C. Academy]] ||<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://punefc.com/?cat=13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125005414/http://punefc.com/?cat=13|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-11-25|title=Under-19s | Pune Football Club Official Website|date=25 November 2011}}</ref>
|-
| [[Punjab Agricultural University Stadium]] || [[Ludhiana]] || [[Punjab]] || 1989 || 10,000 || ||
|-
| [[Rabindra Sarobar Stadium]] || [[Kolkata]] || [[West Bengal]] || 1961 || 26,000 || [[Tollygunge Agragami]] ||
|-
| [[Rajarshi Shahu Stadium]] || [[Kolhapur]] || [[Maharashtra]] || 1960 || 20,000 || [[Mumbai FC]] [[ONGC FC]] [[Air India FC]] ||
|-
| [[Rajendra Stadium]] || [[Siwan District|Siwan]] || [[Bihar]] || || 15,000 || ||
|-
| [[Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl|Rajiv Gandhi Stadium]] || [[Aizawl]] || [[Mizoram]] || 2010 || 20,000 || [[Aizawl F.C.]] ||
|-
| [[Ravishankar Shukla Stadium]] || [[Jabalpur]] || [[Madhya Pradesh]] || 1976 || 15,000 || ||
|-
| [[Satindra Mohan Dev Stadium]] || [[Silchar]] || [[Assam]] || || 30,000 || ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081208/jsp/guwahati/story_10219704.jsp |title=The Telegraph – Calcutta (Kolkata) | Guwahati | Stars missing in action |website=Telegraphindia.com |date=8 December 2008 |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070355/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081208/jsp/guwahati/story_10219704.jsp |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex]] † || [[Pune]] || [[Maharashtra]] || 1993 || 12,000 || [[Pune F.C.]] [[FC Pune City]] [[Bharat FC]] ||
|-
| [[Silli Stadium]] || Silli || [[Jharkhand]] || || 20,000 || ||
|-
| Sports Stadium || [[Jalalabad]] || [[Punjab]] || || 20,000 || ||
|-
| [[Sree Kanteerava Stadium]] † || [[Bangalore]] || [[Karnataka]] || 1997 || 24,000 || [[Bengaluru FC]] ||
|-
| [[Sri Venkateswara University Ground]] || [[Tirupati]] || [[Andhra Pradesh|Andhra]] || 1984 || 4,000 || ||
|-
| [[SSB Ranidanga Stadium]] || [[Golaghat]] || [[Assam]] || || 2,000 || ||
|-
| Sumant Moolgaokar Stadium || [[Jamshedpur]] || [[Jharkhand]] || || 15,000 || ||
|-
| [[Tau Devi Lal Stadium]] || [[Gurgaon]] || [[Haryana]] || 2000 || 12,000 || [[Amity United FC]] ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.worldstadiums.com/asia/countries/india.shtml |title=Stadiums in India |work=worldstadiums.com |publisher=World Stadiums |access-date=2010-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924095432/http://www.worldstadiums.com/asia/countries/india.shtml |archive-date=2011-09-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| Thangmeiband Athletic Union Ground || Thangmeiband || [[Manipur]] || 2006 || 10,000 || [[North Imphal Sporting Association]] ||<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/teams/india/1913/nisa-manipur|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410205558/http://www.goal.com/en-india/teams/india/1913/nisa-manipur|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-04-10|title=NISA, Manipur - Goal.com|date=10 April 2010}}</ref>
|-
| [[Tilak Maidan Stadium]] *|| [[Vasco da Gama]] || [[Goa]] || || 15,000 || [[Churchill Brothers S.C.]] [[Dempo S.C.]] [[Salgaocar S.C.]] [[Sporting Clube de Goa]] [[FC Goa]] ||
|-
| [[University Stadium (Thiruvananthapuram)|University Stadium]] || [[Trivandrum]] || [[Kerala]] || 1952 || 20,000 || [[Chirag United Club]] ||
|-
| [[VO Chidambaram Park Stadium]] || [[Erode]] || [[Tamil Nadu]] || || 7,000 || ||<ref name="National Boxing Championship at Erode VOC Stadium">[http://www.tn.gov.in/rti/proactive/ywsd/handbook-SDA.pdf/SDAT ]{{dead link|date=November 2016}}</ref>
|-
| [[Victory Playground, Hyderabad|Victory Playground]] || [[Hyderabad]] || [[Telangana]] || 1972 || 2,000 || ||
|-
| [[Salt Lake Stadium|Vivekananda Yubabharati Krirangan]] † || [[Kolkata]] || [[West Bengal]] || 1984 || 85,000 || [[Mohun Bagan A.C.]] [[East Bengal F.C.]] [[Mohammedan S.C. (Kolkata)|Mohammedan S.C.]] [[ATK (football club)|ATK F.C.]] ||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/indian-super-league/top-stories/Transformed-and-shrunk-Saltlake-Stadium-ready-for-ISL/articleshow/44713447.cms|title=Transformed and shrunk Salt lake Stadium ready for ISL|date=8 October 2014|access-date=5 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308022010/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/indian-super-league/top-stories/Transformed-and-shrunk-Saltlake-Stadium-ready-for-ISL/articleshow/44713447.cms|archive-date=8 March 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Yashwant Stadium]] || [[Nagpur]] || [[Maharashtra]] || || 15,000 || ||
|}

'''''Note.''''' † ''denotes stadiums that have hosted international football matches.'' 
''*'' ''denotes stadiums that are football specific.
{{check quotation|reason=mismatched italics}}
==International competitions hosted==

{| class="wikitable"
|- style="text-align:center; background:lightblue;"
||'''Competition'''
||'''Edition'''
||'''Winner'''
||'''Final'''
||'''Runners-up'''
||'''India's position'''
||'''Venues'''
||'''Final venue'''
||'''Stadium'''
|-
| colspan="10" style="text-align:center; background:orange;"|'''Men's Senior Competitions'''
|-
||[[Asian Games]]
||[[Football at the 1951 Asian Games]]
||'''{{fb|IND}}'''
||<center>'''1–0'''</center>
||{{fb|IRI|1925}}
|style="background:gold;" |'''Champions'''
||1 (in 1 city)
||[[Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium]]
|| [[File:IndianHockeyGameSnapshot.jpg|120px]]
|-
|[[Asian Games]]
|[[Football at the 1982 Asian Games]]
|'''{{fb|IRQ}}'''
|<center>'''1–0'''</center>
|{{fb|KUW}}
|'''Quarterfinals'''
|3 (in 1 cities)
|[[Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Delhi)]]
|[[File:Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.png|120px|]]
|-
|[[AFC Challenge Cup]]
|[[2008 AFC Challenge Cup]]
|'''{{fb|India}}'''
|<center>'''[[2008 AFC Challenge Cup Final|4–1]]'''</center>
|{{fb|TJK}}
|style="background:gold;" |'''Champions'''
|3 (''in 2 cities'')
|[[Ambedkar Stadium]]
|[[File:Ambedkar stadium in delhi at morning.jpg|120px]]
|-
|[[SAFF Championship]]
|[[1999 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup]]
|'''{{fb|India}}'''
|<center>'''2–0'''</center>
|{{fb|BAN}}
|style="background:gold;"|'''Champions'''
|1 ('' in 1 city'')
|[[Fatorda Stadium]]
|[[File:Fatorda Stadium, Goa.jpg|120px]]
|-
|[[SAFF Championship]]
|[[2011 SAFF Championship]]
|'''{{fb|IND}}'''
|<center>'''[[2011 SAFF Championship Final|4–0]]'''</center>
|{{fb|AFG|2004}}
|style="background:gold;"|'''Champions'''
|1 (''in 1 city'')
|[[Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Delhi)]]
|[[File:Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium CWG opening ceremony.jpg|120px]]
|-
|[[SAFF Championship]]
|[[2015 SAFF Championship]]
|'''{{fb|IND}}'''
|<center>'''[[2015 SAFF Championship Final|2–1 (a.e.t)]]'''</center>
|{{fb|AFG|2013}}
|style="background:gold;"|'''Champions'''
|1 (''in 1 city'')
|[[Greenfield International Stadium]]
|[[File:Greenfield International Stadium Kerala 2.jpg|120px]]
|-
| colspan="10" style="text-align:center; background:lightgreen;"|'''Men's Youth Competitions'''
|-
|[[FIFA U-17 World Cup]]
|[[2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup]]
|'''{{fbu|17|ENG|}}'''
|<center>'''5–2'''</center>
|{{fbu|17|ESP}}
|Group Stage
|6 (''in 6 cities'')
|[[Salt Lake Stadium]]
|[[File:Salt Lake Stadium gameplay during FIFA U17 World Cup 2017.jpg|120px]]
|-
|[[AFC U-19 Championship]]
|[[2006 AFC Youth Championship]]
|'''{{fbu|20|PRK|}}'''
|<center>'''1–1'''</center><center>'''(5–3 pen.)'''</center>
|{{fbu|20|JPN}}
|Group stage
|4 (''in 2 cities'')
|[[Salt Lake Stadium]]
|[[File:Salt Lake Stadium - Yuva Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata.jpg|120px]]
|-
|[[AFC U-16 Championship]]
|[[2016 AFC U-16 Championship]]
|'''{{fbu|17|IRQ}}'''
|<center>'''0–0'''</center><center>'''(4–3 pen.)'''</center>
|{{fbu|17|IRI}}
|Group Stage
|2 (''in 2 cities'')
|[[Fatorda Stadium]]
|[[File:Fatorda Stadium.jpg|120px]]
|-
|[[SAFF U-15 Championship]]
|[[2019 SAFF U-15 Championship]]
|'''{{fbu|17|IND|title=India U-17}}'''
|<center>'''7–0'''</center>
|{{fbu|17|NEP}}
|style="background:gold;"|'''Champions'''
|1 (''in 1 City'')
|[[Kalyani Stadium]]
|[[File:Kalyani Stadium 07.JPG|120px]]
|-
| colspan="10" style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|'''Women's Senior Competitions'''
|-
|[[AFC Women's Asian Cup]]
|[[2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup]]
|'''{{fbw|CHN}}'''
|<center>'''3–2'''</center>
|{{fbw|KOR}}
|''Withdrew (due to Covid-19 breakout)''
|3 (''in 3 Cities'')
|[[DY Patil Stadium]]
|[[File:D Y Patil Sports Stadium.jpg|120px]]
|-
|[[SAFF Women's Championship]]
|[[2016 SAFF Women's Championship]]
|'''{{fbw|IND}}'''
|<center>'''3–1'''</center>
|{{fbw|BAN}}
|style="background:gold;"|'''Champions'''
|1 (''in 1 City'')
|[[Kanchenjunga Stadium]]
|[[File:Football_Stadium_in_Siliguri.jpg|120px]]
|-
| colspan="10" style="text-align:center; background:pink;"|'''Women's Youth Competitions'''
|-
|[[FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup]]
|[[2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup]]
|colspan="8" style="text-align:center;|''TBD''
|}

===Nehru Cup===
The '''Nehru Cup''' was an international invitational [[association football]] tournament organised by the [[All India Football Federation]] ([[All India Football Federation|AIFF]]), named after the [[First Prime Minister of India]], [[Jawaharlal Nehru]].
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Editions
! Winners
|-
|[[1982 Nehru Cup|1982]]
|'''{{fb|URU}}'''
|-
|1983
|'''{{fbu|21|HUN}}'''
|-
|[[1984 Nehru Cup|1984]]
|'''{{fb|POL}}'''
|-
|1985
|'''{{fb|USSR}}'''
|-
|1986
|'''{{fb|USSR}}'''
|-
|1987
|'''{{flagicon|USSR}} [[Soviet Union Olympic football team|Soviet Union]]'''
|-
|1988
|'''{{flagicon|USSR}} [[Soviet Union Olympic football team|Soviet Union]]'''
|-
|1989
|'''{{fbu|21|HUN}}'''
|-
|1991
|'''{{fb|ROM}}'''
|-
|1993
|'''{{fb|PRK}}'''
|-
|[[1995 Nehru Cup|1995]]
|'''{{fb|IRQ}}'''
|-
|[[1997 Nehru Cup|1997]]
|'''{{fb|IRQ}}'''
|-
|[[2007 Nehru Cup|2007]]
|'''{{fb|IND}}'''
|-
|[[2009 Nehru Cup|2009]]
|'''{{fb|IND}}'''
|-
|[[2012 Nehru Cup|2012]]
|'''{{fb|IND}}'''
|}

===Tri-Nation Series===
The '''Tri-Nation Series''' was a 3-team association football tournament organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 2017.
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Editions
! Winners
|-
|[[2017 Hero Tri-Nation Series|2017]]
|'''{{fb|IND}}'''
|-
|}

===Intercontinental Cup===
The '''Intercontinental Cup''' is a 4-team association football tournament organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Editions
! Winners
|-
|[[2018 Intercontinental Cup (India)|2018]]
|'''{{fb|IND}}'''
|-
|[[2019 Intercontinental Cup (India)|2019]]
|'''{{fb|PRK}}'''
|-
|}

==Media==
{{See|Football broadcast in India}}
The Indian Super League is officially broadcast on [[Star Sports (TV channel)|Star Sports]] network in India. International coverage is done by [[Fox Sports International|Fox Sports]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.indiansuperleague.com/news/621-hero-isl-being-broadcast-in-over-100-countries|title=HERO ISL being broadcast in over 100 countries|date=15 October 2015|access-date=5 December 2015|work=Indian Super League|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208160759/http://m.indiansuperleague.com/news/621-hero-isl-being-broadcast-in-over-100-countries|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Joseph_Morrison.jpg|thumb|265x265px|[[Joe Morrison (TV presenter)|Jo Morrison]] anchored [[2018 FIFA World Cup|FIFA World Cup 2018]] for [[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]].]]
1Sport was announced as the official broadcaster for I-League from the [[2019–20 I-League|2019–20]] season.

While [[I-League 2nd Division]] will broadcast on Facebook.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Men's Football in India (English-Rights)
! rowspan="2" |League/Cup
(or)

Competition
! colspan="2" |Television Rights
! colspan="2" |OTT Rights
|-
|'''Conglomerate'''
|'''Channel(s)'''
|'''Conglomerate'''
|'''Platform'''
|-
| colspan="5" |'''Indian'''
|-
|[[Indian Super League]]
|[[Star Sports (Indian TV network)|Star India]]
|Star Sports 1
|[[Star India]]
|[[Disney+ Hotstar]]
|-
|[[I-League]]
|Lex Sportel
|[[1Sports]]
|[[Facebook|Facebook India]]

and Dream Sports
|[[Facebook]]

and FanCode
|-
|[[I-League 2nd Division]]
|Lex Sportel
|[[1Sports]]
|[[Facebook|Facebook India]]
|[[Facebook|Facebook India]]

(Final Round)
|-
|[[Durand Cup]]
|None
|None
|[[Addatimes]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=times|first=Adda|title=Broadcaster for durand cup|url=https://www.addatimes.com/more/durand-2021|website=Addatimes}}</ref>
|
|-
|[[Super Cup (India)|Super Cup]]
|
|
|
|
|-
| colspan="5" |[[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]]/[[UEFA]] Leagues
|-
|[[Premier League]]
|[[Star Sports (Indian TV network)|Star India]]
|Star Sports Select 1/2
|[[Star India]]
|[[Disney+ Hotstar]]
|-
|[[EFL Championship]]
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[FA Cup]]
|[[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]]
|
|[[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]]
|[[SonyLIV]]
|-
|[[La Liga]]
|ViacomCBS|ViacomCBS
|MTV|MTV
|ViacomCBS|ViacomCBS
|Voot|Voot
|-
|[[Copa del Rey]]
| colspan="2" |None
| colspan="2" |None
|-
|[[Bundesliga]]
| colspan="2" |None
|Dream Sports
|FanCode
|-
|[[DFB-Pokal]]
| colspan="2" |None
| colspan="2" |None
|-
|[[Coppa Italia]]
| colspan="2" |None
| colspan="2" |None
|-
|[[Serie A]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]]
|Sony Ten 2/3
| rowspan="3" |[[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]]
| rowspan="3" |[[SonyLIV]]
|-
|[[UEFA Champions League]]
|Sony Ten 2/3
|-
|[[UEFA Europa League]]
|Sony Ten 2/3
|-
|[[AFC Champions League]]
|[[Star India]]
|[[STAR Sports 3|Star Sports 3]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=https://twitter.com/starsportsindia/status/1377556916012998668?ref_url=https%3a%2f%2fpublish.twitter.com%2f%3fquery%3dhttps3a2f2ftwitter.com2fstarsportsindia2fstatus2f1377556916012998668widget%3dtweet|url=https://twitter.com/starsportsindia/status/1377556916012998668?ref_url=https%3a%2f%2fpublish.twitter.com%2f%3fquery%3dhttps3a2f2ftwitter.com2fstarsportsindia2fstatus2f1377556916012998668widget%3dtweet|access-date=2021-04-02|website=Twitter|language=en}}</ref>
|[[Star India]]
|[[Disney+ Hotstar]]
|-
| colspan="5" |'''International Football'''
|-
|[[FIFA World Cup]]
|[[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]]
|
|[[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]]
|[[SonyLIV]]
|-
|[[Copa América]]
|[[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]]
|[[Sony Six]], [[Sony Ten|Sony Ten 2]], [[Sony Ten|Sony Ten 3]]
|Sports Track
|
|-
|[[UEFA European Championship]]
|[[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]]
|[[Sony Six]], [[Sony Ten|Sony Ten 2]], [[Sony Ten|Sony Ten 3]]
|Sports Track
|
|-
|[[UEFA Nations League]]
|[[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]]
|
|[[Sony Pictures Networks India|Sony India]]
|[[SonyLIV]]
|-
|[[AFC Asian Cup]]
|[[Star India]]
|[[STAR Sports 3|Star Sports 3]]
|[[Star India]]
|[[Disney+ Hotstar]]
|}

==Seasons==
The following articles detail the major results and events in each season of Indian football since 2011.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
|'''2010s:'''
|[[2011–12 in Indian Football|2011–12]]
|[[2012–13 in Indian football|2012–13]]
|[[2013–14 in Indian football|2013–14]]
|[[2014–15 in Indian football|2014–15]]
|[[2015–16 in Indian football|2015–16]]
|[[2016–17 in Indian football|2016–17]]
|[[2017–18 in Indian football|2017–18]]
|[[2018–19 in Indian football|2018–19]]
|[[2019–20 in Indian football|2019–20]]
|-
|'''2020s:'''
|[[2020-21 in Indian football|2020–21]]
|[[2021-22 in Indian football|2021–22]]
|}

==See also==
* [[Elite League (India)|Elite League]]
* [[Junior National Football Championship]]
* [[List of football clubs in India]]
* [[List of Indian players in foreign leagues]]
* [[Kolkata derby]]
* [[South Indian derby]]
* [[Football in Asia]]
* [[Mission XI Million]]
* [[Sport in India]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_football/3937015.stm BBC Sport – "What's holding back Indian football?"]
* [https://archive.today/20030829121209/http://www.indien-netzwerk.de/navigation/frauen/artikel/achaudhuri-womenfootball.htm "Gender and sport in India: aspects of women's football"]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20181215222028/http://broadband.indiatimes.com/articleshowft/1167377.cms "Indian Football Association over the ages" (Video)]

{{Football in India}}
{{Football in Asia}}
{{Sport in India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Football In India}}
[[Category:Football in India| ]]
[[Category:Sport in India]]
[[Category:Football cup competitions in India]]
[[Category:Football in Delhi]]
[[Category:1978 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Defunct football competitions in India]]
[[Category:Annual sporting events in India]]

IndianPedia - User contributions [en]

Football in India