The Federation Cup is a knockout football competition in men's domestic Indian football league system. Established in 1977, it is organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The Federation Cup was temporarily replaced by the Super Cup from 2017 to 2018, with its inaugural season taking place in 2018.
History In 1977, the All India Football Federation started the Federation Cup as the first club based national tournament in the country. Inaugural champion of the competition was the ITI (Indian Telephone Industries) who defeated Mohun Bagan in the final. In 2015, the All India Football Federation announced that the Federation Cup will be put on hold to avoid scheduling conflict with the Indian Super League and the I-League. After the Asian Football Confederation mandated that a club must play at least 18 matches in the season, the AIFF decided to revive the tournament under new format. On 19 February 2018, the AIFF fully abolished the competition and formed the Super Cup as a replacement. In July 2023, the AIFF has decided again to revive the competition, but later it was postponed. On 2 March 2026, the AIFF released an RFP for commercial rights which included the Federation Cup, indicating a possible revival of the competition.
Venues Matches during the Federation Cup are usually held at neutral venues. From 2015, matches were played as two legged knockout format.
Results Federation Cup finals YearWinnersRunners-upScore1977–78Indian Telephone IndustriesMohun Bagan1–01978–79Mohun Bagan and East Bengal–0–01979–80BSFMafatlal Mills2–2, 3–01980–81Mohun Bagan (2) and East Bengal (2)–1–11981–82Mohun Bagan (3)Mohammedan2–01982–83Mohun Bagan (4)Mafatlal Mills1–01983–84MohammedanMohun Bagan0–0, 2–01984–85Mohammedan (2)East Bengal1–01985East Bengal (3)Mohun Bagan1–01986–87Mohun Bagan (5)East Bengal0–0 1987–88Mohun Bagan (6)Salgaocar2–01988–89SalgaocarBSF1–01989–90Salgaocar (2)Mohammedan Sporting2–1 1990Kerala PoliceSalgaocar2–11991Kerala Police (2)Mahindra & Mahindra2–0 1992Mohun Bagan (7)East Bengal2–01993Mohun Bagan (8)Mahindra & Mahindra1–01994Mohun Bagan (9)Salgaocar0–0 1995JCT MillsEast Bengal1–1 1995–96JCT Mills (2)East Bengal1–1 1996East Bengal (4)Dempo2–11997Salgaocar (3)East Bengal2–11998Mohun Bagan (10)East Bengal2–11999 Not held20002001Mohun Bagan (11)Dempo2–12002Not held2003Mahindra UnitedMohammedan Sporting1–02004DempoMohun Bagan2–02005Mahindra United (2)Sporting Goa2–12006Mohun Bagan (12)Sporting Goa3–12007East Bengal (5)Mahindra United2–12008Mohun Bagan (13)Dempo1–02009–10East Bengal (6)Shillong Lajong0–0 2010East Bengal (7)Mohun Bagan1–02011Salgaocar (4)East Bengal3–12012East Bengal (8)Dempo3–2 2013–14Churchill BrothersSporting Goa3–12014–15BengaluruDempo2–12015–16Mohun Bagan (14)Aizawl5–02016–17Bengaluru (2)Mohun Bagan2–0 2017–2018 Replaced by Super Cup 2018 Bengaluru (3) 4–1 2019 Goa Chennaiyin 2–1 Tournament suspended due to the COVID-19 and India's international fixtures 2023 Odisha Bengaluru 2–1 2024 (9) Odisha 3–2 2025 Jamshedpur 3–02025–26 East Bengal 0–0
a.e.t.: After extra time pen.: Score in penalty shootout
Finalists ClubFinalappearancesWinnerWinning yearsRunners-upRunners-up yearsMohun Bagan 20141978*, 1980*, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2015–1661977, 1983, 1985, 2004, 2010, 2016–17East Bengal1991978*, 1980*, 1985, 1996, 2007, 2009-10, 2010, 2012, 2024101984, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1996–97, 1997, 1998, 2011, 2018, 2025-26 Salgaocar741988, 1989, 1997, 201131987, 1990, 1994Dempo61200451996#, 2001, 2008, 2012, 2014–15Mohammedan521983, 198431981, 1989, 2003Mahindra United522003, 200531991, 1993, 2007Sporting Goa30-32005, 2006, 2013–14Bengaluru332014–15, 2016–170-JCT Mills221995, 1995-960-Kerala Police221990, 1991Federation Cup. the-aiff.com (archived)0-Border Security Force21197911988Indian Telephone Industries1119770-Churchill Brothers112013–140-Shillong Lajong10-12009Aizawl10-12015–16
*: Shared #: There were two federation cups in 1996
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerGoals1 Jose Ramirez Barreto272 Chima Okorie26*3 Bhaichung Bhutia254 Chidi Edeh235 Ranti Martins186 I. M. Vijayan17 Odafa Onyeka Okolie
(*: Includes 7 goals scored in Eastern Zone qualifiers at Sibsagar – 1990 Federation Cup)
See also History of Indian football Indian football league system Durand Cup I-League 2 I-League 3 Indian Super Cup (1997–2011) State leagues Institutional League
References
External links Super Cup website (archived)