The National Football League (NFL) was the men's highest level of the Indian football league system from 1996 to 2007. Founded by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 1996, the NFL was the first football league in India to be organized on a national scale. The AIFF then added a second division in 1997 and a third division was soon added by the governing body in 2006. The NFL was eventually replaced by the I-League for the 2007–08 season in order to professionalize the sport in India.
As well as league competition, clubs in the NFL would also participate in the main domestic cup competition, the Federation Cup. The NFL champions would also participate in the Indian Super Cup against the Federation Cup champion. NFL players could also participate in the state-based Santosh Trophy competition.
History The National Football League was founded by the All India Football Federation, the governing body for football in India, in 1996. The aim of the league was to promote the development of the sport in the country. JCT Mills of Punjab won the inaugural season of the league. Then Indian international Bhaichung Bhutia was the league's top goalscorer with 14 goals. To supplement the Premier Division, the AIFF began the second division of the NFL in 1997. Tollygunge Agragami of Kolkata were the inaugural second division champions.
In 2001, in order to help promote the development of young Indian players, the AIFF launched the under-19 league. The inaugural season of the under-19 league would see East Bengal crowned champions. Only three seasons of the under-19 league were held in 2001, 2002–03, and 2004–05. The AIFF also fielded the India under-16 side in the league when held.
Prior to the 2006–07 season, the AIFF launched a third division, which was essentially just the qualifiers for the second division. After the season concluded, the AIFF announced that the NFL would be disbanded and replaced with a new fully-professional league, the I-League for the 2007–08 season. Dempo finished as the final NFL champions.
Sponsorship Period Sponsor Industry Tournament1996–1998 PhilipsConglomeratePhilips National Football League1998–2001 The Coca-Cola CompanyBeverageCoca-Cola National Football League 2001–2002 Tata GroupConglomerateTata National Football League2002–2003 ONGC, BPCL, HPCL, IOC, GAIL, IBP, Cochin Refineries Ltd. and Chennai Refineries Ltd.Public sector enterprisesOil PSU National Football League2003–2004 The Coca-Cola CompanyBeverageCoca-Cola National Football League 2004–2007 ONGCPetroleumONGC National Football League(2004–2005) ONGC Cup(2005–2007)
Clubs Played in NFL Premier Division
Air India Border Security Force Churchill Brothers Dempo East Bengal Fransa-Pax Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Indian Bank Indian Telephone Industries JCT Mills Kerala Police Kochin Mahindra United Mohammedan Mohun Bagan Punjab Police Salgaocar Sporting Goa State Bank of Travancore Tollygunge Agragami Vasco
Champions Premier Division Season Champions(number of titles) Runners-up Third place Leading goalscorer(s) Goals JCT Mills Churchill Brothers East Bengal Bhaichung Bhutia (JCT Mills)141997–98 Mohun Bagan East Bengal Salgaocar Raman Vijayan (Kochin)101998–99 Salgaocar Churchill Brothers Philip Mensah (Churchill Brothers)111999–00 Mohun Bagan Churchill Brothers Salgaocar Igor Shkvyrin (Mohun Bagan)2000–01 East Bengal Mohun Bagan Churchill Brothers José Ramirez Barreto (Mohun Bagan)142001–02 Mohun Bagan Churchill Brothers Vasco Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers)182002–03 East Bengal Salgaocar212003–04 Dempo Mahindra United Cristiano Júnior (East Bengal)152004–05 Dempo Sporting Goa East Bengal Dudu Omagbemi (Sporting Goa)212005–06 Mahindra United East Bengal Mohun Bagan Ranti Martins (Dempo)132006–07 Dempo JCT Mills Mahindra United Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers)18
Second Division
Third Division
See also List of Indian football champions Indian football league system Indian Super League
References