The Indian football league system is the league structure of football club competitions in India. The highest level of men's club football competition is the Indian Super League. Indian Women's League, founded in 2016, is the highest level of women's football club competition in India.
Men's The Indian men's football league system consists of the top 4 national divisions organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). From tier 5 are the various regional state football leagues, organized by the respective state associations under the AIFF affiliation.
Pyramid
+National levelIndian Super League 14 clubs – ↓ 1 relegationIndian Football League 12 clubs – 1 promotion ↑↓ 2 relegationI-League 2 12 clubs – 2 promotions ↑↓ 2 relegationsI-League 3 20 clubs – 2 promotions ↑↓ 18 relegations State leagues State levelWest BengalAssamDelhiTamil NaduGoaJammu and KashmirKarnatakaManipurMeghalayaOdishaJharkhandPunjabSikkimTripuraKeralaMizoramMaharashtraLadakhArunachal PradeshBiharChhattisgarhDadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and DiuGujaratHaryanaHimachal PradeshLakshadweepMadhya PradeshNagalandPuducherryRajasthanTelanganaUttar PradeshUttarakhand51CFL Premier Division ↑promote ↓relegateAssam State Premier League ↑promote ↓relegateDelhi Premier League ↑promote ↓relegateCFA Senior Division ↑promote ↓relegateGoa Professional League ↑promote ↓relegateJ&K Premier Football League ↑promote ↓relegateBDFA Super Division ↑promote ↓relegateManipur Premier League ↑promote ↓relegateMeghalaya State League ↑promote ↓relegateFAO Diamond League ↑promote ↓relegateJSA League Premier Division ↑promote ↓relegatePunjab State Super Football League ↑promote ↓relegateSFA "A" Division S-League ↑promote ↓relegateChandra Memorial A Division League ↑promote ↓relegateKerala Premier League ↑promote ↓relegateMizoram Premier League ↑promote ↓relegateMaharashtra State Senior Men's Football League ↑promoteLeh and Kargil Districts Football League ↑promoteIndrajit Namchoom Arunachal League ↑promoteBihar State Soccer League ↑promoteChhattisgarh State Men's Football League Championship ↑promoteDNH and DD Men's State League ↑promoteGujarat SFA Club Championship ↑promoteHaryana Men's Football League ↑promoteHimachal Football League ↑promoteKavaratti Football League ↑promoteMadhya Pradesh Premier League ↑promoteNagaland Super League ↑promotePondicherry Men's League Championship ↑promoteRajasthan State Men's League ↑promoteRahim League A Division ↑promoteUttar Pradesh Football Sangh League ↑promoteUttarakhand Super League ↑promote62CFL 1st Division ↑promote 2 ↓relegate 2Assam Club Championship / Guwahati Premier Football League ↑promote ↓relegateFD Senior Division League ↑promote ↓relegateFirst Division ↑promote ↓relegateGFA 1st Division League ↑promote ↓relegateJ&K Super Division ↑promote ↓relegateBDFA A Division ↑promote ↓relegateAMFA Cup ↑promote ↓relegateShillong Premier League ↑promote ↓relegateFAO Gold League ↑promote ↓relegateJSA League Super Division ↑promote ↓relegatePunjab State League Second Division ↑promote ↓relegateSFA "B" Division ↑promote ↓relegateChandra Memorial B Division League ↑promote ↓relegateKerala Premier League Second Division ↑promoteMizoram 1st Division League ↑promoteLucknow Super Division / Ghaziabad District League / Baghpat District League ↑promote1 division73CFL 2nd Division ↑promote 2 ↓relegate 2GSA A Division Football League ↑promote ↓relegateFD A-Division ↑promote ↓relegateSecond Division ↑promote ↓relegateGFA 2nd Division League ↑promote ↓relegateJ&K A-Division ↑promote ↓relegateBDFA B Division ↑promote ↓relegateAMFA Winners' Cup ↑promote ↓relegateSecond Division League ↑promote ↓relegateFAO Silver League ↑promote ↓relegateJSA League A Division ↑promotePunjab State League Third Division ↑promoteSFA "C" Division ↑promoteChandra Memorial C Division League ↑promote2 divisions84CFL 3rd Division ↑promote 2 ↓relegate 2GSA B Division Football League ↑promote ↓relegateFD B-Division ↑promote ↓relegateThird Division ↑promote ↓relegateGFA 3rd Division League ↑promoteJ&K B-Division ↑promoteBDFA C Division ↑promoteManipur District Leagues ↑promoteThird Division League ↑promoteFAO 2nd Division League ↑promote3 divisions95CFL 4th Division ↑promote 2 ↓relegate 2GSA C Division Football League ↑promoteFD C-Division ↑promoteFourth Division ↑promote4 divisions106CFL 5th Division Group A ↑promote 2 ↓relegate 25 divisions117CFL 5th Division Group B ↑promote 2
Status evolution Professional leagues Amateur/Semi-professional leagues
Year Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Tier 5 and below1898–1996State leagues1996–1997National Football LeagueState leagues (without top divisions)1997–2006National Football LeagueNational Football League 2nd DivisionState leagues (without top divisions)2006–2007National Football LeagueNational Football League 2nd Division National Football League 3rd DivisionState leagues (without top divisions) 2007–2017I-LeagueI-League 2nd DivisionState leagues (without top divisions)2017–2022I-League & Indian Super LeagueI-League 2nd DivisionState leagues (without top divisions)2022–2023Indian Super LeagueI-LeagueI-League 2nd DivisionState leagues (without top divisions)2023–2025Indian Super LeagueI-LeagueI-League 2I-League 3State leagues (without top divisions)2025–presentIndian Super LeagueIndian Football LeagueI-League 2I-League 3State leagues (without top divisions)
Tier I National Football League (1996–2007) Founded in 1996, the National Football League was the first football league of India to be organised on a national scale, in an aim to develop the sport & give platform for Indian footballers in a club league. However, due to several problems the league was defunct to make way for a new professional I-League.
I-League (2007–2022) After the end of 2006–07 season, AIFF disbanded the NFL after allegedly missing the full aim of professionalism. To replace NFL, AIFF introduced a fully professional I-League, with ten clubs from the last season of NFL participating in the maiden season of I-League. The league was declared as joint top tier in 2019–20 season when AFC approved AIFF's proposal to demote the AFC Champions League slot, for the AFC Cup. Three seasons later the league was completely demoted to second tier status in Indian football, with the league champions now promoted to the Indian Super League.
Indian Super League (2017–present) The I-League suffered from lack of popularity due to poor marketing as the seasons passed by. The deal between the Zee Sports and the 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 new 700-crore deal with Reliance Industries and the International Management Group on 9 December 2010. The Indian Super League was officially launched on 21 October 2013 by IMG–Reliance, Star Sports, and the All India Football Federation with an aim of growing the sport of football in India and increasing its exposure in the country, this time with the big names and high professionalism.
In 2017, The AFC were against allowing the ISL as the main league in India, while I-League clubs East Bengal and Mohun Bagan wanted a complete merger of the ISL and I-League. A couple of 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. The proposal from the AIFF was officially approved by the AFC on 25 July 2017.
Two seasons later the AIFF and AFC announced in a meeting that the Indian Super League was officially the top-tier league of India with the AFC Champions League slot, while the I-League was with the AFC Cup slot. 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 the I-League to stand a chance of getting promoted to the ISL with no participation fee, starting with the 2022–23 season. In its final recommendation it was agreed that the introduction of promotion and relegation into the top league would be implemented by the end of 2024–25 season, thus making ISL the top tier & I-League officially being 2nd tier competition.
From 2025–26, Promotion and Relegation will have been introduced after previously no relegation.
Tier II NFL Second Division (1997–2007) The NFL's second division was introduced by AIFF in 1997 to supplement the top division. After the 2006–07 season, all the three tiers of NFL were defunct and replaced with I-League and I-League 2nd Division respectively.
I-League 2nd Division (2007–2022) The National Football League's second division was succeeded by the I-League 2nd Division in 2008. The state FAs nominated top teams from their respective state leagues to AIFF who then selected the clubs based on criteria. The number of clubs in this league varied each season. Since 2017–18 season, the league saw introduction of the I-League reserve sides which weren't eligible for promotion. After the I-League lost its top tier status, the I-League 2nd Division was demoted, re-establishing India's third tier since the NFL's Third Division in 2006.
I-League (2022–2025) Starting from the 2022–23 season, I-League lost its top-tier status. The champions of the 2022–23 I-League were promoted to the ISL with no participation fee. In its recommendation for 2024–25, it was agreed to fully implement promotion and relegation between the two leagues.
Indian Football League (2026–present) In 2026, I-League was renamed to Indian Football League.
Tier III NFL Third Division (2006) Ten years after the formation of NFL, a third division was briefly introduced for one season in 2006 The NFL Third Division was the first third division tier football league in India to be organized on a national scale. The league was played from 25 November till 18 December 2006 as a promotional tournament for Indian National Football League Second Division. Five teams were promoted to the second division. Starting from the 2022–23 season, I-League 2 filled the void in the third tier left by NFL Third Division in 2006.
I-League 2 (2022–present) After demoting I-League to the second tier status in Indian football, its second division i.e., I-League 2nd Division was subsequently demoted to third tier. AIFF renamed the 2nd Division to I-League 2 to avoid disambiguation.
Tier IV I-League 3 (2023–present) I-League 3 is set to serve as a platform for state champions and nominated teams. It forms the fourth tier of the Indian football league system, between the I-League 2 and the state leagues. No ISL reserve teams will be part of it.
Tier V & below Indian state leagues
There are currently total of 36 state associations (including union territories) affiliated with the AIFF. These state associations have state leagues concurrently running. The top teams of state leagues are eligible for the I-League 3 (national 4th tier). Most state leagues have multiple divisions and a promotion/relegation system between these divisions. Calcutta Football League (Oldest football league in Asia) in West Bengal is the oldest state league and has the highest number of divisions with promotion/relegation system in place.
System evolution