Template:Infobox football league
The I-League, officially known as the Hero I-League for sponsorship reasons,[1] is the men's second-tier of the Indian football league system. Currently contested by 16 clubs, the winners get promotion for the Indian Super League.[2]
The competition was founded in 2007 as the successor to the National Football League, with the first season starting in November 2007.[3] The league was launched as India's first ever top-tier professional football league with the aim to increase the player pool for the India national team.[3] I-League operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the I-League 2 and at first only promotion system with the Indian Super League, from the 2022–23 season.[3]
Since the inception of the I-League, a total of seven clubs have been crowned champions. Dempo have won the most titles in league history, being crowned champions three times. Churchill Brothers, Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru, Gokulam Kerala and Minerva Punjab have won the league twice.[4] Salgaocar, Aizawl, and Chennai City have won it once.
History
Origins
In 1996, the first domestic league was started in India, known as the National Football League,[5] in an effort to introduce professionalism in Indian football.[5] Despite that ambition, that has not been achieved to this date. During the National Football League days, the league suffered from poor infrastructure and unprofessionalism from its clubs. One of the clubs in the league, FC Kochin, went defunct in 2002 after it was revealed that the club had not paid salaries since 2000, after making up 2.5 crores of losses in a season.[6]
After a decade of decline with the National Football League, the All India Football Federation decided it was time for a change. This resulted in the modern day iteration of the top-tier in India.[7]
Formation
After the 2006–07 NFL season, it was announced that it would be rebranded as the I-League for the 2007–08 season.[8] The league's first season consisted of eight teams from the previous NFL campaign and two teams from the 2nd Division to form a 10 team league.[8] Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), the title sponsors of the previous NFL, were named as the title sponsors of the I-League before the league kicked off in November 2007.[9] The league also announced a change in their foreign-player restrictions with the new rule being that all the clubs could sign four foreigners – three non-Asian and one which must be Asian.[10] The league also announced that, for the first season, matches will be broadcast on Zee Sports.[11]
The original ten clubs in the I-League's first season were Air India, Churchill Brothers, Dempo, East Bengal, JCT, Mahindra United, Mohun Bagan, Salgaocar, Sporting Goa and Viva Kerala.
The early seasons (2007–2012)
The first ever I-League match took place on 24 November 2007 between Dempo and Salgaocar. The match, which took place at the Fatorda Stadium in Margao, ended 3–0 in favour of Dempo with Chidi Edeh scoring the first ever goal in league history in the third minute.[12] After eighteen rounds it was Dempo who came out as the first ever champions in the I-League.[13] Viva Kerala and Salgaocar, however, ended up as the first two teams to ever be relegated from the I-League.[14]
The next season the I-League was expanded from 10 to 12 teams. Mumbai, Chirag United, Mohammedan, and Vasco were all promoted from the I-League 2nd Division to make the expansion possible.[15] This however brought up early concerns over how "national" the I-League was. The 2008–09 season would see eleven of the twelve teams come from three different cities. The previous season saw all ten teams come from four different cities.[15] Bhaichung Bhutia, then captain of the India national team, said that it was the federations job to spread the game across the country and that it needed to happen.[15]
Regardless of the early criticism, the I-League went on as scheduled and once the 2008–09 season concluded. it was Churchill Brothers who came out on top.[16] Then, before the 2009–10 season, the league was once again expanded from 12 teams to 14. In order to make this happen Salgaocar, Viva Kerala, Pune, and Shillong Lajong were all promoted from the 2nd Division to the I-League.[17] This helped the I-League retain some criticism about how national the league was as now the league would be played in seven different cities/states: Goa, Kerala, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Punjab, and Shillong.[17]
After the 2009–10 season it was Dempo who came out on top for the second time in I-League history.[13]
Conflict of parties
On 9 December 2010 the All India Football Federation signed a 15-year, 700-crore deal with Reliance Industries and International Management Group of the United States.[18] The deal gave IMG-Reliance exclusive commercial rights to sponsorship, advertising, broadcasting, merchandising, video, franchising, and rights to create a new football league.[18] This deal came about after the AIFF ended their 10-year deal with Zee Sports five years early.[19]
Two months later, on 8 February 2011, it was reported that twelve of the fourteen I-League clubs held a private meeting in Mumbai to discuss the ongoing issues related to the league.[20] It was never revealed what was exactly talked about at this meeting.[20] Then, on 22 February, it was announced that the same twelve I-League clubs that attended the meeting would not be signing the AFC–licensing papers needed to play in the I-League.[21] The reasoning for this was because the I-League clubs were not happy over the fact that IMG-Reliance had so far done nothing to promote the I-League and that they demanded the I-League be made a separate entity from both the AIFF and IMG-Reliance.[21] At this time however there were rumours that IMG-Reliance had been planning on revamping the I-League along the same lines as Major League Soccer of the United States for the 2012–13 season.[21]
On 11 March 2012, following the disbanding of two former I-League clubs – JCT and Mahindra United, it was announced that the I-League clubs would be forming their own organization known as the Indian Professional Football Clubs Association (IPFCA) in order to safeguard their interest and promote football in India.[22] Every club, except for HAL and AIFF–owned Pailan Arrows, joined the newly formed organization.[22] Soon after, it was announced that there would be a meeting held between the AIFF, IMG-Reliance, and the IPFCA on 20 April 2012. In this meeting, IMG-Reliance would present their plan on how they would grow the I-League but the meeting never occurred for reasons unknown.[23]
Then, on 4 May 2012, the AIFF hosted the last ad hoc meeting – an annual meeting between the AFC and AIFF to assess the growth of Indian football. The AFC president at the time, Zhang Jilong, was also in attendance at this meeting.[24] It was reported that the IPFCA would use this meeting to voice their displeasure at the AIFF and IMG-Reliance but the association never showed up at the meeting.[24]
On 18 June 2012 the IPFCA was officially sanctioned under the Society's Act of 1960.[25]
League improvement
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Despite the ongoing war between the AIFF, IMG-Reliance, and the IPFCA, the league did manage to improve its product on the field and awareness did increase during this period. It all started when the India national team participated in the AFC Asian Cup in 2011 for the first time in 27 years.[26] Despite being knocked-out in the group stage after losing all three of their games, India came back home more popular than ever. Subrata Pal, of Pune gained the most popularity after his impressive performances in goal for India during the Asian Cup.[27] At the same time, before the Asian Cup, Sunil Chhetri became the second Indian footballer in the modern footballing era to move abroad when he signed for the Kansas City Wizards in Major League Soccer in 2010. He also became the first exported Indian from the I-League.[28]
The league was then given a major boost from its main derby, the Kolkata derby, between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. On 20 November 2011, 90,000 people watched at the Salt Lake Stadium as Mohun Bagan defeated East Bengal 1–0.[29] The league also saw more expansion to others areas with the promotion of United Sikkim from the 2nd Division,[30] however, their reign was short lived as financial troubles saw them relegated the next season.[31]
Meanwhile, while the league continued to grow, so did the players' demand. During this period plenty of Indian players were wanted on trial by foreign clubs, mainly in Europe. After his return from MLS, Sunil Chhetri and international teammate Jeje Lalpekhlua were called for trials at Scottish Premier League side Rangers in 2011.[32] Subrata Pal had trials at RB Leipzig before finally signing for Vestsjælland in 2014.[33] And Gurpreet Singh Sandhu underwent trials at then Premier League side Wigan Athletic and finally signing for Stabæk Fotball, Norway in 2014.[34]
At the same time, as Indian players demand abroad increased, the demand for higher quality foreigners in the I-League also increased. Former A-League player of the year and Costa Rican international Carlos Hernández signed with Prayag United before the 2012–13 season from the Melbourne Victory.[35] Lebanese international Bilal Najjarine also signed with Churchill Brothers in 2012.[36]
Demotion to second tier
On 18 May 2016, IMG–Reliance, along with the AIFF and I-League representatives met during a meeting in Mumbai. At the meeting, it was proposed that starting from the 2017–18 season, the Indian Super League becomes the top-tier football league in India while the I-League gets relegated to the second tier, but the idea was not entertained by the I-League representatives.[37]
In 2017, FIFA and the AFC had appointed a committee to look at the footballing landscape in the country which was in disarray due to two simultaneous leagues running together, and come up with solutions to re-establish a singular league pyramid which would be acceptable for everyone.[38] In the month of June, IMG–Reliance, the AIFF and the I-League representatives, met with the AFC in Kuala Lumpur in order to find a new way forward for Indian football.[39] The AFC were against allowing the ISL as the premier league in India while the clubs like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan wanted a complete merger of ISL and I-League.[39] A couple weeks later, the AIFF proposed that both ISL and I-League run simultaneously on a short–term basis with the I-League champions retaining the spot for the AFC Champions League qualifying stage, while the AFC Cup qualifying stage spot going to the ISL champions.[40] 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.[41]
On 14 October 2019, the AFC held a summit in Kuala Lumpur, chaired by the AFC Secretary General Windsor John, which involved key stakeholders from the AIFF, the FSDL, the ISL and the I-League clubs, and other major stakeholders to propose a new roadmap to facilitate the football league system in India.[42] Based on the roadmap that was prepared by the AFC and the AIFF at the summit and was finally approved by the AFC Executive Committee on 26 October in Da Nang, in 2019–20 season, ISL will attain the country's top-tier league status, allowing the ISL premiers to play AFC Champions League and the I-League champions to play AFC Cup.[43] In addition, starting with the 2022–23 season, I-League will lose the top-tier status, wherein the champion of the I-League will stand a chance to be promoted to the ISL with no participation fee. In its recommendation for 2024–25, it was agreed to fully implement promotion and relegation between the two leagues, and abolition of parallel league system.[44]
Competition format
Since the league began in 2007, the rules have changed almost yearly. Currently, the league has 12 teams. Each club plays each other twice during the season, once at home and the other time away. At the end of the season, the team with the most points wins the league and gains promotion to the top flight Indian Super League. In the case of a tie then head-to-head record is looked upon. Further, in the case of a tie the goal difference is looked upon the tied teams.[45]
Clubs
A total of 42 clubs have been able to play in the I-League since its inception in 2007, up to the current season. Template:For
All-time points table
The following is a list of clubs who have played in the I-League at any time since its formation in 2007 to the current season. Teams playing in current season are indicated in bold.
| Pos. | Team | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Template:Tooltip | Template:Tooltip | Highest finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Churchill Brothers | 13 | 279 | 130 | 76 | 73 | 484 | 338 | 146 | 466 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2007–08 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 2 | East Bengal | 13 | 276 | 126 | 75 | 75 | 425 | 282 | 143 | 453 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2007–08 | 2019–20 | Template:Sort |
| 3 | Mohun Bagan | 13 | 276 | 126 | 85 | 65 | 430 | 301 | 129 | 451Template:Refn | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2007–08 | 2019–20 | Template:Sort
|
| 4 | Dempo | 8 | 188 | 90 | 52 | 46 | 337 | 209 | 128 | 322 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2007–08 | 2014–15 | Template:Sort |
| 5 | Salgaocar | 8 | 182 | 70 | 46 | 66 | 258 | 229 | 29 | 256 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2007–08 | 2015–16 | Template:Sort |
| 6 | Sporting Goa | 8 | 178 | 62 | 57 | 59 | 241 | 249 | -8 | 243 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2007–08 | 2015–16 | Template:Sort |
| 7 | Pune | 6 | 148 | 63 | 45 | 40 | 219 | 168 | 51 | 234 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2009–10 | 2014–15 | Template:Sort |
| 8 | Mumbai | 9 | 204 | 53 | 72 | 79 | 219 | 281 | -62 | 231 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2008–09 | 2016–17 | Template:Sort |
| 9 | Shillong Lajong | 9 | 194 | 53 | 56 | 85 | 220 | 316 | -96 | 215 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2009–10 | 2018–19 | Template:Sort |
| 10 | Aizawl | 9 | 157 | 57 | 38 | 62 | 198 | 193 | 5 | 209 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2015–16 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 11 | United | 6 | 150 | 48 | 55 | 47 | 202 | 200 | 2 | 199 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2008–09 | 2013–14 | Template:Sort |
| 12 | Punjab FC (including Minerva Punjab season records) | 7 | 127 | 52 | 35 | 40 | 170 | 149 | 21 | 191 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2016–17 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 13 | Gokulam Kerala | 6 | 108 | 49 | 24 | 35 | 163 | 121 | 42 | 171 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2017–18 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 14 | Indian Arrows | 9 | 178 | 38 | 43 | 97 | 143 | 287 | -144 | 157 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2010–11 | 2021–22 | Template:Sort |
| 15 | Bengaluru | 4 | 78 | 42 | 20 | 16 | 131 | 79 | 52 | 146 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2013–14 | 2016–17 | Template:Sort |
| 16 | Air India | 6 | 144 | 33 | 45 | 66 | 142 | 249 | -107 | 144 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2007–08 | 2012–13 | Template:Sort |
| 17 | Real Kashmir | 6 | 106 | 34 | 40 | 33 | 137 | 133 | 4 | 142 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2018–19 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 18 | NEROCA | 6 | 108 | 34 | 27 | 47 | 129 | 150 | -21 | 129 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2017–18 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 19 | Mohammedan | 5 | 101 | 34 | 27 | 40 | 130 | 139 | -9 | 129 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2008–09 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 20 | TRAU | 5 | 88 | 32 | 23 | 33 | 108 | 114 | -6 | 119 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2019–20 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 21 | JCT | 4 | 92 | 29 | 27 | 36 | 93 | 100 | -7 | 114 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2007–08 | 2010–11 | Template:Sort |
| 22 | Chennai City | 5 | 85 | 31 | 21 | 33 | 112 | 126 | -14 | 114 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2016–17 | 2020–21 | Template:Sort |
| 23 | Mahindra United | 3 | 66 | 25 | 25 | 16 | 97 | 69 | 28 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2007–08 | 2009–10 | Template:Sort |
| 24 | Viva Kerala | 4 | 96 | 22 | 23 | 51 | 96 | 160 | -64 | 89 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2007–08 | 2011–12 | Template:Sort |
| 25 | Sreenidi Deccan | 2 | 40 | 22 | 8 | 10 | 71 | 48 | 23 | 74 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 26 | ONGC | 2 | 52 | 12 | 19 | 21 | 55 | 76 | -21 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2010–11 | 2012–13 | Template:Sort |
| 27 | Sudeva Delhi | 3 | 48 | 13 | 13 | 22 | 42 | 60 | -18 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2020–21 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 28 | Rajasthan United | 2 | 40 | 12 | 11 | 17 | 35 | 48 | -13 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 29 | DSK Shivajians | 2 | 34 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 38 | 55 | -17 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | Template:Sort |
| 30 | HAL | 2 | 52 | 7 | 11 | 34 | 37 | 108 | -71 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | Template:Sort |
| 31 | Royal Wahingdoh | 1 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2014–15 | 2014–15 | Template:Sort |
| 32 | Kenkre | 2 | 39 | 6 | 11 | 22 | 34 | 65 | -31 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | Template:Sort |
| 33 | Rangdajied United | 1 | 24 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 29 | 38 | -9 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2013–14 | 2013–14 | Template:Sort |
| 34 | Bharat | 1 | 20 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 28 | -15 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2014–15 | 2014–15 | Template:Sort |
| 35 | United Sikkim | 1 | 26 | 2 | 9 | 15 | 23 | 63 | -40 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2012–13 | 2012–13 | Template:Sort |
| 36 | Vasco | 1 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 49 | -35 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2008–09 | 2008–09 | Template:Sort |
| 37 | Delhi FC | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 38 | Inter Kashi | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 39 | Namdhari FC | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 40 | TBA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 41 | TBA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 42 | TBA | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| I League | |
| Indian Super League | |
| I-league 2, I-League 3 & State leagues | |
| Defunct clubs | |
| Operational academies |
Clubs qualifying for I-League
| Season | Clubs |
|---|---|
| 2013–14 | Bengaluru |
| 2014–15 | Bharat |
| 2015–16 | DSK Shivajians |
| 2016–17 | Churchill Brothers, Chennai City, Minerva Punjab |
| 2017–18 | Gokulam Kerala |
| 2020–21 | Sudeva Delhi |
| 2021–22 | Sreenidi Deccan |
| 2023–24 | Inter Kashi, Namdhari FC, TBA, TBA, TBA |
| Season | Clubs |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Mumbai FC, Mohammedan, United SC, Vasco SC |
| 2009 | Salgaocar, Viva Kerala, Shillong Lajong, Pune |
| 2010 | ONGC, HAL |
| 2011 | Shillong Lajong, Sporting Clube de Goa |
| 2012 | ONGC, United Sikkim |
| 2013 | Rangdajied United, Mohammedan |
| 2014 | Royal Wahingdoh |
| 2015 | Aizawl |
| 2015–16 | Dempo |
| 2016–17 | NEROCA |
| 2017–18 | Real Kashmir |
| 2018–19 | TRAU |
| 2020 | Mohammedan |
| 2021 | Rajasthan United, Kenkre |
| 2022-23 | Shillong Lajong, Delhi FC |
Clubs promoted/relegated from I-League
| Season | Clubs |
|---|---|
| 2022–23 | RoundGlass Punjab |
| Season | Clubs |
|---|---|
| 2007–08 | Viva Kerala, Salgaocar |
| 2008–09 | Mohammedan, Vasco |
| 2009–10 | Sporting Clube de Goa, Shillong Lajong |
| 2010–11 | JCT, ONGC |
| 2011–12 | Viva Kerala, HAL |
| 2012–13 | Air India, United Sikkim |
| 2013–14 | Mohammedan |
| 2014–15 | Dempo |
| 2015–16 | NoneTemplate:Efn |
| 2016–17 | Mumbai |
| 2017–18 | NoneTemplate:Efn |
| 2018–19 | Shillong Lajong |
| 2019–20 | NoneTemplate:Efn |
| 2020–21 | NoneTemplate:Efn |
| 2021–22 | NoneTemplate:Efn |
| 2022–23 | Kenkre FC, Sudeva Delhi FC |
Timeline
<timeline> DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:2007 till:2025 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom PlotArea = right:70 left:0 bottom:75 top:0 #> to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"<#
Colors =
id:line value:pink id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) legend:League_member id:Former value:rgb(0.4,0.80,0.67) legend:Former_member id:Future value:rgb(0.5,0.7,0.95) legend:Future_member id:Other value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) legend:Other_leagues
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:S
bar:1 color:Full from:2007 till:2014 text: Churchill Brothers (2007–2014) bar:1 color:Full from:2016 till:end text: Churchill Brothers (2016–present)
bar:2 color:Former from:2007 till:2020 text: Mohun Bagan (2007–2020) bar:2 color:Other from:2020 till:end text: ISL
bar:3 color:Former from:2007 till:2020 text: East Bengal (2007–2020) bar:3 color:Other from:2020 till:end text: ISL
bar:4 color:Former from:2007 till:2016 text: Dempo (2007–2016) bar:4 color:Other from:2016 till:2022 text: Goa Pro League bar:4 color:Other from:2022 till:end text: IL-2
bar:5 color:Former from:2007 till:2008: text: [(i)] bar:5 color:Other from:2008 till:2009 text: IL-2 bar:5 color:Former from:2009 till:2016 text: [(ii)] •(i) Salgaocar (2007–2008) •(ii) Salgaocar (2009-2016) bar:5 color:Other from:2016 till:end text: Goa Pro League
bar:6 color:Former from:2007 till:2016 text: Sporting Goa (2007–2016) bar:6 color:Other from:2016 till:end text: Goa Pro League bar:7 color:Former from:2007 till:2013 text: Air India (2007–2013) bar:7 color:Other from:2013 till:end text: Mumbai Football League
bar:8 color:Former from:2007 till:2011 text: JCT (2007–2011)
bar:9 color:Former from:2007 till:2010 text: Mahindra United (2007–2010)
bar:10 color:Former from:2007 till:2012 text: Viva Kerala (2007–2012)
bar:11 color:Former from:2008 till:2017 text: Mumbai (2008-2017) bar:11 color:Other from:2007 till:2008 text: IL-2
bar:12 color:Other from:2007 till:2008 text: IL-2 bar:12 color:Former from:2008 till:2014 text: United SC(2008–2014) bar:12 color:Other from:2014 till:2015 text: IL-2 bar:12 color:Other from:2022 till:2023 text: IL-2 bar:12 color:Other from:2015 till:2022 text: Calcutta Football League
bar:13 color:Other from:2007 till:2008 text: IL-2 bar:13 color:Full from:2008 till:2009 text: [(iii)] bar:13 color:Other from:2009 till:2013 text: IL-2 •(iii) Mohammedan (2008–2009) bar:13 color:Full from:2013 till:2014 text: [(iv)] bar:13 color:Other from:2014 till:2020 text: IL-2 •(iv) Mohammedan (2013–2014)} bar:13 color:Full from:2020 till:end text: Mohammedan (2020–present)
bar:14 color:Other from:2007 till:2008 text: IL-2 bar:14 color:Former from:2008 till:2009 text: [(v)] bar:14 color:Other from:2009 till:2010 text: IL-2 bar:14 color:Other from:2010 till:end text: Goa Pro League •(v) Vasco (2008-2009)
bar:15 color:Other from:2007 till:2009 text: IL-2 bar:15 color:Former from:2009 till:2015 text: Pune (2009-15)
bar:16 color:Other from:2008 till:2009 text: IL-2 bar:16 color:Full from:2009 till:2019 text: Shillong Lajong (2009-2019) bar:16 color:Full from:2023 till:end text: Shillong Lajong (2023–present) bar:16 color:Other from:2019 till:2022 text: Shillong Premier League bar:16 color:Other from:2022 till:2023 text: IL-2
bar:17 color:Former from:2010 till:2013 text:AIFF XI/Pailan Arrows (2010-2013) bar:17 color:Former from:2017 till:2022 text: Indian Arrows (2017-2022)
bar:18 color:Former from:2010 till:2013 text: ONGC (2010-2013) bar:18 color:Other from:2007 till:2010 text: IL-2
bar:19 color:Other from:2007 till:2008 text: IL-2 bar:19 color:Other from:2009 till:2010 text: IL-2 bar:19 color:Former from:2010 till:2012 text: HAL (2010-2012) bar:19 color:Other from:2012 till:end text: Bangalore Super Division
bar:20 color:Former from:2012 till:2013 text: [(vi)] bar:20 color:Other from:2010 till:2012 text: IL-2 bar:20 color:Other from:2013 till:2014 text: IL-2 bar:20 color:Other from:2014 till:end text: Sikkim Premier League •(vi) United Sikkim (2012-2013)
bar:21 color:Other from:2017 till:end text: ISL bar:21 color: Former from:2013 till:2017 text: Bengaluru (2013-2017)
bar:22 color:Other from:2009 till:2013 text: IL-2 bar:22 color:Former from:2013 till:2014 text: [(vii)] bar:22 color:Other from:2014 till:end text: Shillong Premier League •(vii) Rangdajied United (2013-2014)
bar:23 color:Former from:2014 till:2015 text: Royal Wahingdoh (2014-2015) bar:23 color:Other from:2010 till:2014 text: IL-2
bar:24 color:Former from:2014 till:2015 text: Bharat (2014-2015)
bar:25 color:Other from:2007 till:2011 text: Mizoram Premier League bar:25 color:Other from:2011 till:2015 text: IL-2 bar:25 color:Full from:2015 till:end text: Aizawl (2015–present)
bar:26 color:Former from:2015 till:2017 text: DSK Shivajians (2015-2017) bar:26 color:Other from:2007 till:2013 text: Pune Football League bar:26 color:Other from:2012 till:2013 text: IL-2 bar:27 color:Other from:2015 till:2016 text: IL-2 bar:27 color:Former from:2016 till:2020 text: Minerva Punjab (2016-2020) bar:27 color:Former from:2020 till:2023 text: Roundglass Punjab (2020-2023) bar:27 color:Other from:2023 till:end text: ISL
bar:28 color:Former from:2016 till:2021 text: Chennai City (2016-2021)
bar:29 color:Full from:2017 till:end text: Gokulam (2017–present)
bar:30 color:Other from:2015 till:2017 text: IL-2 bar:30 color:Full from:2017 till:end text: NEROCA (2017–present) bar:31 color:Full from:2018 till:end text: Real Kashmir (2018–present) bar:31 color:Other from:2016 till:2018 text: IL-2
bar:32 color:Other from:2017 till:2019 text: IL-2 bar:32 color:Full from:2019 till:end text: TRAU (2019–present)
bar:33 color:Other from:2007 till:2020 text: Delhi Football League bar:33 color:Former from:2020 till:2023 text: Sudeva Delhi (2020-2023) bar:33 color:Other from:2023 till:end text: IL-2
bar:34 color:Full from:2021 till:end text: Sreenidi Deccan (2021–present)
bar:35 color:Full from:2021 till:end text: Rajasthan United (2021–present) bar:35 color:Other from:2020 till:2021 text: IL-2
bar:36 color:Former from:2021 till:2023 text: Kenkre (2021-2023) bar:36 color:Other from:2023 till:end text: IL-2 bar:36 color:Other from:2010 till:2017 text: IL-2 bar:36 color:Other from:2017 till:2021 text: Mumbai Football League bar:36 color:Other from:2020 till:2021 text: IL-2
bar:37 color:Other from:2007 till:2020 text: Delhi Football League bar:37 color:Full from:2023 till:end text: Delhi (2023–present) bar:37 color:Other from:2020 till:2023 text: IL-2
bar:38 color:Full from:2023 till:end text: Inter Kashi (2023–present) bar:39 color:Full from:2023 till:end text: Namdhari (2023–present) bar:41 color:Future from:2024 till:end text: IL-2 winner
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fontsize:L textcolor:black pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center) text:
</timeline>
Sponsorship
Since the original National Football League, the Indian league has always been sponsored. When the I-League began in 2007 the last sponsor from the old National Football League, ONGC, were brought in as the sponsors, making the league be known as the ONGC I-League.[46] However, after the 2010–11 season, the deal with ONGC was not renewed and the I-League was left without a sponsorship deal till 2013.[47] On 24 September 2013, it was announced that telecommunications company, Airtel would be the new title sponsor of the I-League, thus making the league known as the Airtel I-League.[48] In December 2014, it was announced that Hero MotoCorp would replace Airtel as the title sponsor for the league and hence the league would be known has Hero I-League.[49]
| Period | Title sponsor | Tournament name |
|---|---|---|
| 2007–11 | Template:Flagicon ONGC | ONGC I-League |
| 2011–13 | none | I-League |
| 2013–14 | Template:Flagicon Airtel | Airtel I-League |
| 2014–present | Template:Flagicon Hero | Hero I-League |
Media coverage
| Period | TV telecast | Online streaming |
|---|---|---|
| 2007–10 | Zee Sports | |
| 2010–17 | Ten Action, Ten Sports | DittoTV |
| 2017–19 | Star Sports | Hotstar, JioTV |
| 2019–22 | 1Sports | Facebook, JioTV |
| 2022– | Eurosport HD, DD Sports | Discovery plus |
Stadiums
Home stadiums (2022–23)
| Aizawl | Churchill Brothers | Gokulam Kerala | Mohammedan | Mumbai Kenkre | NEROCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl | Fatorda Stadium, Margao | EMS Stadium, Kozikode | Mohammedan Sporting Ground, Kolkata | Cooperage Ground, Mumbai | Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, Imphal |
| Capacity: 20,000 | Capacity: 19,000 | Capacity: 50,000 | Capacity: 15,000 | Capacity: 5,000 | Capacity: 15,000 |
| File:Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.jpg | File:East Stand of Fatorda Stadium.jpg | File:Kozhikode EMS Stadium.jpg | File:Howrah Stadium.jpg | ||
| Punjab | Rajasthan United | Real Kashmir | Sudeva Delhi | TRAU | Sreenidi Deccan |
| Guru Nanak stadium, Ludhiana | Rajasthan University Sports Complex, | TRC Turf Ground, Srinagar | Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi | Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, Imphal | Deccan Arena, Hyderabad |
| Capacity: 30,000 | Capacity: 6,000 | Capacity: 11,000 | Capacity: 30,000 | Capacity: 35,285 | |
| File:GURU NANAK STADIUM AT LUDHIANA.jpg | File:Ambedkar stadium in delhi at morning.jpg |
Coaches
The role of the head coach in the I-League varies from club to club. Some like to appoint technical or sporting directors as well as manager-style coaches.[51] The All India Football Federation does impose licensing requirements for head coaches in the I-League, the rule being that the head coach must have an AFC Professional Coaching Diploma in order to coach in the I-League. However, some clubs and coaches like Subhash Bhowmick, Subrata Bhattacharya, Sukhwinder Singh and Bimal Ghosh were known for accepting a technical director role in order to bypass the head coaching requirements.[51] This has bought about a lot of controversial news, most recently being when Churchill Brothers won the I-League after the 2012–13 season with Subhash Bhowmick not winning the "Coach of the Year" award, due to being listed as the technical director.[51]
Seeing this, the AIFF technical director, Rob Baan, as well as others, advocated that the federation make it mandatory for both technical directors and head coaches to have an AFC Pro-Diploma.[51] On May 14, 2014 this was officially put into act by the AIFF during their I-League licensing committee meeting.[52]
In terms of coaching performance, after the first seven seasons of the I-League, an Indian head coach has won the I-League four times while a foreign head coach has won it three times. Zoran Đorđević of Serbia was the first ever foreign head coach to win the I-League.[53][54] Italian coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese became the first coach to win back-to-back I-League titles in 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons.
Armando Colaco was the first Indian coach to win the I-League in the league's opening season and he has the most I-League championships at three.[55] Khogen Singh is the latest Indian coach to win the I-League in 2017–18 season.[56]
| Head coach | Wins | Winning year(s) | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Flagicon Armando Colaco | 3 | 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12 | Dempo |
| Template:Flagicon Ashley Westwood | 2 | 2013–14, 2015–16 | Bengaluru |
| Template:Flagicon Vincenzo Alberto Annese | 2020–21, 2021–22 | Gokulam Kerala | |
| Template:Flagicon Staikos Vergetis | 1 | 2022–23 | RoundGlass Punjab |
| Template:Flagicon Kibu Vicuña | 2019–20 | Mohun Bagan | |
| Template:Flagicon Akbar Nawas | 2018–19 | Chennai City | |
| Template:Flagicon Khogen Singh | 2017–18 | Punjab | |
| Template:Flagicon Khalid Jamil | 2016–17 | Aizawl | |
| Template:Flagicon Sanjoy Sen | 2014–15 | Mohun Bagan | |
| Template:Flagicon Mariano Dias | 2012–13 | Churchill Brothers | |
| Template:Flagicon Karim Bencherifa | 2010–11 | Salgaocar | |
| Template:Flagicon Zoran Đorđević | 2008–09 | Churchill Brothers |
Champions
Successful clubs by seasons
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | Dempo (1/3) | Churchill Brothers | JCT | 10 |
| 2008–09 | Churchill Brothers (1/2) | Mohun Bagan | Sporting Goa | 12 |
| 2009–10 | Dempo (2/3) | Churchill Brothers | Pune | 14 |
| 2010–11 | Salgaocar | East Bengal | Dempo | 14 |
| 2011–12 | Dempo (3/3) | East Bengal | Churchill Brothers | 14 |
| 2012–13 | Churchill Brothers (2/2) | Pune | East Bengal | 14 |
| 2013–14 | Bengaluru (1/2) | East Bengal | Salgaocar | 13 |
| 2014–15 | Mohun Bagan (1/2) | Bengaluru | Royal Wahingdoh | 11 |
| 2015–16 | Bengaluru (2/2) | Mohun Bagan | East Bengal | 9 |
| 2016–17 | Aizawl | Mohun Bagan | East Bengal | 10 |
| 2017–18 | Minerva Punjab | NEROCA | Mohun Bagan | 10 |
| 2018–19 | Chennai City | East Bengal | Real Kashmir | 11 |
| 2019–20 | Mohun Bagan (2/2) | Not AwardedTemplate:Efn | 11 | |
| 2020–21 | Gokulam Kerala (1/2) | Churchill Brothers | TRAU | 11 |
| 2021–22 | Gokulam Kerala (2/2) | Mohammedan | Sreenidi Deccan | 13 |
| 2022–23 | RoundGlass Punjab | Sreenidi Deccan | Gokulam Kerala | 12 |
- Notes
Performance by clubs
| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Third place | Winning seasons | Runners-up seasons | Third place seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dempo | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12 | 2010–11 | |
| Churchill Brothers | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2008–09, 2012–13 | 2007–08, 2009–10,
2020–21 |
2011–12 |
| Mohun Bagan | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2014–15, 2019–20 | 2008–09, 2015–16, 2016–17 | 2017–18 |
| Bengaluru | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2013–14, 2015–16 | 2014–15 | |
| Gokulam Kerala | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2020–21, 2021–22 | 2022–23 | |
| Salgaocar | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2010–11 | 2013–14 | |
| Minerva Punjab | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2017–18 | ||
| Aizawl | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2016–17 | ||
| Chennai City | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2018–19 | ||
| RoundGlass Punjab | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2022-23 | ||
| East Bengal | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14,
2018–19 |
2012–13, 2015–16, 2016–17 | |
| Pune | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2012–13 | 2009–10 | |
| Sreenidi Deccan | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2022–23 | 2021–22 | |
| NEROCA | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2017–18 | ||
| Mohammedan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2021–22 | ||
| JCT | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2007–08 | ||
| Sporting Goa | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2008–09 | ||
| Royal Wahingdoh | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2014–15 | ||
| Real Kashmir | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2018–19 | ||
| TRAU | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2020–21 |
Stats and players
Individual game highest attendance records
| Rank | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance | Stadium | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohun Bagan | 1–0 | East Bengal | 90,000 | Salt Lake Stadium | Template:Dts |
| 2 | Mohun Bagan | 0–1 | East Bengal | 80,000 | Salt Lake Stadium | Template:Dts |
| 3 | Mohun Bagan | 2–1 | East Bengal | 63,756 | Salt lake Stadium | |
| 4 | Mohun Bagan | 1–1 | East Bengal | 63,342 | Salt Lake Stadium | Template:Dts |
| 5 | Mohun Bagan | 1–0 | East Bengal | 57,780 | Salt Lake Stadium | Template:Dts |
Seasonal statistics
| Season | Total goals | Matches played | Average per game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | 226 | 90 | 2.51[57] |
| 2008–09 | 318 | 132 | 2.41[58] |
| 2009–10 | 486 | 182 | 2.67[59] |
| 2010–11 | 489 | 182 | 2.69[60] |
| 2011–12 | 521 | 182 | 2.88[61] |
| 2012–13 | 530 | 182 | 2.91[62] |
| 2013–14 | 402 | 156 | 2.47[63] |
| 2014–15 | 280 | 110 | 2.55[64] |
| 2015–16 | 186 | 72 | 2.58[65] |
| 2016–17 | 225 | 90 | 2.5[66] |
| 2017–18 | 204 | 90 | 2.27[67] |
| 2018–19 | 303 | 109 | 2.78 |
| 2019–20 | 187 | 69Template:Efn | 2.71 |
| 2020–21 | 216 | 80 | 2.7 |
| 2021–22 | 294 | 114 | 2.58 |
| 2022–23 | 360 | 132 | 2.73 |
Player transfer fees
Top transfer fees paid by I-League clubs
| Rank | Player | Fee (min) | Year | Transfer Out | Transfer In | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Template:Flagicon Uga Okpara | Template:INRConvert | 2009 | Template:Flagicon Enyimba | Template:Flagicon East Bengal | |
| 2 | Template:Flagicon Odafa Onyeka Okolie | Template:INRConvert | 2011 | Template:Flagicon Mohun Bagan | Template:Flagicon Churchill Brothers | |
| 3 | Template:Flagicon Lester Fernandez | Template:INRConvert | 2012 | Template:Flagicon Pune | Template:Flagicon Prayag United | |
| 4 | Template:Flagicon Ronaldo Oliveira | Template:INRConvert | 2019 | Template:Flagicon Salgaocar | Template:Flagicon East Bengal |
Top transfer fees received by I-League clubs
| Rank | Player | Fee (min) | Year | Transfer Out | Transfer In | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Template:Flagicon Khalid Aucho | Template:INRConvert | 2019 | Template:Flagicon Churchill Brothers | Template:Flagicon Misr Lel Makkasa | |
| 2 | Template:Flagicon Sunil Chhetri | Template:INRConvert | 2014 | Template:Flagicon Bengaluru | Template:Flagicon Mumbai City | |
| 3 | Template:Flagicon Pedro Manzi | Template:INRConvert | 2020 | Template:Flagicon Chennai City | Template:Flagicon Albirex Niigata | |
| 4 | Template:Flagicon Eugeneson Lyngdoh | Template:INRConvert | 2014 | Template:Flagicon Bengaluru | Template:Flagicon Pune City |
Top scorers
Template:Main Season after season, players in the I-League compete for the golden boot title, which is awarded at the end of each season to the top scorer throughout the entire season. The most recent winner of the golden boot is Bidyashagar Singh, who won the golden boot at the end of the 2020–21 season after scoring 12 goals. Ranti Martins is both currently the holders of the most golden boot titles with five golden boots. Along with Odafa Onyeka Okolie, the two Nigerians make up the eight golden boots won by Nigerians, the most of any nationality in the league.
| Season | Player | Club | Goals | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | Bhaichung Bhutia | Mohun Bagan | 9 | [74] |
| 2008–09 | Sunil Chhetri | East Bengal | 9 | [74] |
| 2009–10 | Mohammed Rafi | Mahindra United | 13 | [74] |
| 2010–11 | Jeje Lalpekhlua | Indian Arrows | 13 | [74] |
| 2011–12 | Chinadorai Sabeeth | Pailan Arrows | 9 | [74] |
| 2012–13 | C. K. Vineeth | Prayag United | 7 | [74] |
| 2013–14 | Sunil Chhetri | Bengaluru | 14 | [63] |
| 2014–15 | Thongkhosiem Haokip | Pune | 7 | [64] |
| 2015–16 | Sunil Chhetri | Bengaluru | 5 | [65] |
| Sushil Kumar Singh | Mumbai | |||
| 2016–17 | Sunil Chettri | Bengaluru | 7 | [66] |
| C. K. Vineeth | Bengaluru | |||
| 2017–18 | Abhijit Sarkar | Indian Arrows | 4 | [67] |
| Subhash Singh | NEROCA | |||
| 2018–19 | Jobby Justin | East Bengal | 9 | [75] |
| 2019–20 | Template:NA | Not AwardedTemplate:Efn | ||
| 2020–21 | Bidyashagar Singh | TRAU | 12 | [73] |
| 2021–22 | Thahir Zaman | Gokulam Kerala | 5 | |
| Shubho Paul | Sudeva Delhi | |||
Awards
The trophy
The I-League has only been awarding a proper trophy to the champion since 2013 when the 2012–13 season champions, Churchill Brothers, won the league.[76] Before 2013 the I-League champions received a basic trophy.[76] The new trophy was designed in Europe and is modeled along the lines of the champion trophies in the top European leagues.[76] Regarding the trophy, the AIFF general secretary, Kushal Das, said: "It is the endeavour of AIFF to practice the best principles of other leagues and accordingly we thought to create a more contemporary look to the I-League trophy in line with trophies given in European leagues".[76]
Season awards
End of the season I-League awards were previously conducted by the Football Players' Association of India and All India Football Federation since 2008–09 season. Currently the awards include the Hero of the league, the golden boot, the golden glove, the best head coach (Syed Abdul Rahim Award), the best defender (Jarnail Singh Award), the best midfielder and the emerging player of the league, all of which are sponsored by Hero.
Hero of the League
Syed Abdul Rahim Award
Emerging player of the season
Foreign player of the year
Indian Player of the Season
Fans' player of the year
I-League clubs in Asia
Traditionally, I-League clubs have done particularly well in the AFC Cup. In 2008 Dempo managed to reach the semi-finals of the AFC Cup before being defeated by Al-Safa of Lebanon.[88] East Bengal also managed to reach the semi-finals in 2013 before being knocked-out by Kuwait.[89] Bengaluru is the only I-League club to reach the AFC Cup Final in 2016 but lost to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya of Iraq.[90]
However, in the AFC Champions League, no I-League club has ever managed to make it past the qualifiers.[91]
See also
- Football in India
- History of Indian football
- List of football clubs in India
- 2021–23 Indian football club competition play-offs for AFC
- IFA Shield
- NFL Second Division
- NFL Third Division
References
- ↑ HERO MOTOCORP TO BE TITLE SPONSOR OF THE FEDERATION CUP AND I-LEAGUE. www.the-aiff.com. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
- ↑ New roadmap for Indian football proposes Hero ISL as premier league. www.indiansuperleague.com.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 AIFF's I-League to have 10 teams. Rediff(21 November 2007). Retrieved 27 June 2018.
- ↑ Brilliant Gokulam Kerala FC edge past Mohammedan SC to win historic consecutive I-League titles, Guha, Sayantan. www.sportskeeda.com. Sportskeeda(14 May 2022). Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Indian National League (I-League) 2011–12 Season Review. Goalden Times(6 July 2012). Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ↑ The final whistle. India Today. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ↑ History. ileague.in. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 AIFF's I-League to have 10 teams. Rediff. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ↑ I-League partners ONGC cry foul. Times of India(28 November 2007). Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ↑ I-League Clubs have Too Many Foreigners: Bhutia. Outlook India. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ↑ Zee Sports, AIFF ready with ONGC I-League. Televisionpoint. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ↑ Dempo beat Salgaocar 3–0 with Chidi's brace. ONE India. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Dempo SC is I-League champion. The Hindu(20 April 2012). Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ Salgaocar, Viva Kerala relegated from I-League. www.theindian.com. Tha Indian(17 February 2008). Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Is the I-League a national tournament?. Indian Express. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ Young Brothers outlast their elders. FOX Sports. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Shillong's Lajong FC defy odds. Telegraph India. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 AIFF signs 700-crore deal with IMG-RIL. Times of India(9 December 2010). Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ AIFF approaches Jindal, Videocon to sponsor I-League. Top News. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Indian Football : BREAKING NEWS (8th February, 2012) : I-League Clubs On War Path With AIFF?. The Hard Tackle(8 February 2012). Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 I-League clubs refuse to accept AIFF diktat. Times of India(22 February 2012). Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 I-League club owners press for sustainable revenue model. The Hindu. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ AIFF and IMG-Reliance's 'Slack' behaviour results in no plan on Indian football being presented. Goal.com. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 AFC president Zhang Jilong greeted with I-League clubs' absence. Goal.com. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ IPFCA office bearers nominated. SportsKeeda(16 June 2012). Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ↑ After 27 years, India bids to make mark on Asian Cup. Dawn(3 January 2011). Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ Subrata Pal the spiderman on trial in Germany. Indian Football Network(17 July 2012). Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ KC Wizards sign Sunil Chhetri – will be first Indian player to play in MLS. The Original Winger. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ Mohun Bagan 1–0 East Bengal – Marines Go Second As Trevor Morgan Suffers First Derby Defeat. Goal.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ United Sikkim enters I-League – Draw for Bhaichung boys. Samachar. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ Club management to blame for United Sikkim's relegation. Goal.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sunil Chhetri at Glasgow Rangers. Times of India(27 November 2011). Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ Subrata Paul signs 6-month contract with FC Vikings. Times of India(30 January 2014). Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ Gurpreet Singh Sandhu set for a trial cum training stint with Wigan Athletic. Goal.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ Carlos signs one year deal with Prayag United. Indian Sports News(27 June 2012). Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ Lebanese defender Bilal Najjarin leaves Churchill Brothers. Goal.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ I-League is dead, long live the ISL: AIFF. The Times of India(18 May 2016). Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ↑ REVEALED - AFC and FIFA's complete blueprint for re-structuring ISL, I-League and Indian football. The Fan Garage(16 May 2018). Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Still no consensus on ISL, I-League merger despite high-profile meet. The Times of India(7 June 2017). Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ↑ ISL gets official recognition from AFC, becomes second national football league. FirstPost(28 June 2017). Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ↑ AFC competitions committee's decisions published. The Asian Football Confederation(25 July 2017). Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ↑ REVEALED: Inside the AFC-AIFF meeting that transformed ISL, I-League and Indian football. The Fan Garage(14 October 2021). Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ↑ AFC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE APPROVE INDIAN FOOTBALL ROADMAP. The AIFF. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ↑ New roadmap for Indian football proposes Hero ISL as premier league. Indian Super League. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ↑ 2015–16 Regulations. The All India Football Federation. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
- ↑ ONGC Agrees To Sponsor The I-League. Goal.com. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ↑ All India Football Federation wants to jazz up I-League from next season. India Today. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ↑ AIFF signs up Airtel for new I-League season. Goal.com. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ↑ Hero I-League's 1st Kolkata Derby on Jan 25(28 December 2014). Retrieved 28 December 2014.
- ↑ All you need to know about new I-League entrant Rajasthan United FC. Khel Now(2021-12-11). Retrieved 2022-01-05.
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 AIFF is set to act strict. Telegraph India. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ↑ A-Licence degree must for technical directors: AIFF. Times of India(14 May 2014). Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ↑ I-League: Don't Let The Players Go – Zoran Djordjevic. Goal.com. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ↑ AIFF suspends Ashley Bengaluru FC coach banned for 4 matches and fined Rs 50,000. Telegraph India. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ↑ East Bengal Should Continue With Armando Colaco Next Season. The Hard Tackle(15 April 2014). Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ↑ Churchill Brothers – Defending I-League Champions Stare At A Possible Relegation. The Hard Tackle(16 April 2014). Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ↑ I-League 2007–08. Soccerway. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ I-League 2008–09. Soccerway. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ I-League 2009–10. Soccerway. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ I-League 2010–11. Soccerway. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ I-League 2011–12. Soccerway. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ I-League 2012–13. Soccerway. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ 63.0 63.1 I-League 2013–14. Soccerway. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ 64.0 64.1 64.2 I-League 2014–15. Soccerway. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
- ↑ 65.0 65.1 65.2 I-League 2015–16. Soccerway. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
- ↑ 66.0 66.1 66.2 I-League 2016–17. Soccerway. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ↑ 67.0 67.1 67.2 I-League 2017–18. Soccerway. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ↑ 68.0 68.1 68.2 68.3 From the history books. The All Indian Football Federation. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ Ranti Martins bags a double as I-League 2011–12 top performers announced. Goal.com. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ Ranti Martins voted Best Player of I-League 2012–13. The All India Football Federation. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ I-League 2013–14. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
- ↑ Chennai City Crowned I-League 2018-19 Champions After Win Against Minerva Punjab. Press Trust of India (PTI)(9 March 2019). Retrieved 27 June 2020.
- ↑ 73.0 73.1 73.2 73.3 I-League 2020-21: List of Award Winners as TRAU FC Win Maximum Accolades. News18(27 March 2021). Retrieved 2021-03-27.
- ↑ 74.0 74.1 74.2 74.3 74.4 74.5 League: Sunil Chhetri two goals away from surpassing Bhaichung Bhutia's 17-year-old record. Goal.com. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ Indian I-League Scoring Stats - 2019-20. ESPN. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
- ↑ 76.0 76.1 76.2 76.3 AIFF designs new trophy for I-League champions. Times of India(6 May 2013). Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ 77.0 77.1 77.2 77.3 Chhetri Shines At First FPAI Awards Nite!. Goal.com. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ 78.0 78.1 78.2 78.3 78.4 FPAI Awards: Mohammed Rafi Bags The Best Indian Player, While Subrata Is Still The Fan's Favourite. Goal.com. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ 79.0 79.1 79.2 79.3 79.4 Indian Football Awards 2011. The Football Players Association of India. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ 80.0 80.1 80.2 80.3 Indian Football Awards 2012. The Football Players Association of India. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ 81.0 81.1 81.2 81.3 81.4 FPAI honours outstanding performers. The Hindu(24 May 2013). Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ 82.0 82.1 82.2 82.3 82.4 Westwood bags FPAI best coach award, PK lifetime achievement. Times of India(29 April 2014). Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ 83.0 83.1 I-League 2017–18: Minerva Punjab presented with winners' trophy; NEROCA's Gift Raikhan named season's best coach(22 March 2018). Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ↑ The 2018/19 I-League End of Season Awards | Sportsbeatsindia, Dutta, Raja(2019-03-29). Retrieved 2021-03-27.
- ↑ The 2018/19 I-League End of Season Awards. The Away End(2019-03-13). Retrieved 2021-03-27.
- ↑ Ranti Martins bags a double as I-League 2011–12 top performers announced. Goal.com. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ Indian Football Awards 2009. The Football Players Association of India. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ East Bengal's Golden Continental Run. Goalden Times(30 September 2013). Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ↑ Kuwait SC prove too good for East Bengal in AFC Cup SF. Rediff. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ↑ Bengaluru FC first Indian club to reach AFC Cup final. The Times of India(19 October 2016). Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ Bengaluru FC set sight on AFC Champions League qualification. NDTV Sports. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
External links
- Template:Official
- "iLeague Fixtures" – League Winner (archived 29 June 2017). Retrieved on 31 May 2015.
Template:I-League Template:AFC second leagues Template:Football in India