2023–24 I-League Explained

Competition:I-League
Season:2023–24
Dates:28 October 2023 – 13 April 2024[1] [2]
Winners:Mohammedan
(1st title)
Promoted:Mohammedan
Relegated:NEROCA
TRAU
Matches:154
Total Goals:503
League Topscorer:Álex Sánchez
(19 goals)
Biggest Home Win:Churchill Brothers 7–0 Rajasthan United
(10 April 2024)
Biggest Away Win:TRAU 0–5 Sreenidi Deccan
(19 November 2023)
Highest Scoring:Rajasthan United 5–4 TRAU
(22 December 2023)
Inter Kashi 5–4 Aizawl
(18 March 2024)
Rajasthan United 3–6 Delhi
(5 April 2024)
Longest Wins:6 matches
Gokulam Kerala
Longest Unbeaten:Mohammedan
Inter Kashi
(11 games)
Longest Winless:NEROCA
(11 games)
Longest Losses:NEROCA
(11 games)
Highest Attendance:24,678
Mohammedan 1–3 Delhi
(13 April 2024)
Lowest Attendance:50
NEROCA 2–3 Churchill Brothers
(8 March 2024)
Attendance:293,962
Average Attendance:1,933
Prevseason:2022–23
Nextseason:2024–25

The 2023–24 I-League was the 17th season of the I-League and the second season as the second tier of Indian football league system.[3]

Mohammedan won the I-League for the first time and were promoted to the Indian Super League, while TRAU and NEROCA were relegated to I-League 2.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Changes from last season

Promoted to Indian Super League
Promoted from I-League 2
Relegated to I-League 2
Corporate entriesThe AIFF accepted five bids for direct entry to I-League.[10] [11] [12]

Bunkerhill Pvt Ltd (Ambala) withdrew its bid after inking a majority shareholding in Mohammedan. Nimida United Sports Development Pvt Ltd (Bengaluru United) and Concatenate Advest Advisory Pvt Ltd (Delhi) were unable to fulfill the bid conditions.[15] [16]

Inter Kashi, from a tier-2 city (Varanasi), will have relegation immunity for two seasons; while Namdhari, from a tier-3 city (Bhaini Ala), will be free from relegation for one season.[17]

Rules

After the clubs requested to increase the maximum number of players allowed in a squad, the Committee decided to increase the player quota from 30 to 35. Clubs will also have to sign eight U-22 players.[18]

Format

AIFF proposed to revamp the league format by dividing the 16 teams into two conferences or zones, similar to Major League Soccer, with the top 4 teams from each conference qualifying for the playoffs and the bottom four battling to avoid relegation, instead of traditional home-away format.[19] [20] The change was suggested to make the league cost-effective for clubs by reducing travel time. However, with only 13 teams left to participate in the league, the proposed changes were dropped in favor of the traditional home-away format.[21] [22]

Teams

13 teams competed in this edition of the I-League; nine from the previous season, two promoted from the 2022–23 I-League 2, and two with direct entry.[23] Five teams are set to play their home games out of their home state or city because of various reasons.[24] [25]

Stadiums and locations

TeamState/UTCityStadiumCapacity
AizawlMizoramAizawlRajiv Gandhi Stadium20,000
Churchill BrothersGoaVascoTilak Maidan5,000
DelhiDelhiNew DelhiNamdhari Stadium1,000
Gokulam KeralaKeralaKozhikodeEMS Stadium50,000
Inter KashiUttar PradeshVaranasiEkana Football Stadium5,000
Kalyani Stadium20,000
MohammedanWest BengalKolkataNaihati Stadium20,000
Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan68,000
NamdhariPunjabBhaini SahibNamdhari Stadium1,000
NEROCAManipurImphalKalyani Stadium20,000
SSA Stadium5,000
Rajasthan UnitedRajasthanJaipurDeccan Arena1,500
Kalyani Stadium20,000
Namdhari Stadium1,000
Real KashmirJammu & KashmirSrinagarTRC Turf Ground11,000
Shillong LajongMeghalayaShillongSSA Stadium5,000
Sreenidi DeccanTelanganaHyderabadDeccan Arena1,500
TRAUManipurImphalKalyani Stadium20,000

Personnel and sponsorship

TeamHead coachCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Aizawl Malsawmzuala Sailo Lalmuanawma Vamos[26] NECS Limited[27]
Churchill Brothers Francesc Bonet Martín Cháves Trak-Only[28] Churchill Brothers
Delhi Yan Law Balwant Singh NiviaColordesign India[29]
Gokulam Kerala Shareef Khan Álex Sánchez Do's[30] CSB Bank[31]
Inter Kashi Carlos Santamarina Arindam Bhattacharya SIX5SIXCello
Mohammedan Andrey Chernyshov Samad Ali Mallick SIX5SIX[32] Opinion Edge[33]
Namdhari Harpreet Singh Akashdeep Singh SPS Hospitals[34] Namdharis
NEROCA Gyan Moyon Sushil Meitei King Wolf 777 News
Rajasthan United Pushpender Kundu Hardik Bhatt AIO SportsAU Small Finance Bank
Real Kashmir Ishfaq Ahmed Muhammad Hammad Vector XFootball for Peace
Shillong Lajong Bobby Nongbet Kynsailang Khongsit KingMeghalaya Tourism
Sreenidi Deccan Carlos Vaz Pinto David Castañeda Vallion Sreenidhi Sports Academy
TRAU L. Nandakumar Singh Gerard Williams SIX5SIX[35] TLT Sports Academy

Coaching changes

scope=colTeamscope=colOutgoing head coachscope=colManner of departurescope=colDate of vacancyscope=colRoundscope=colTablescope=colIncomingscope=colDate of appointmentscope=col class=unsortable
Gokulam Kerala Francesc BonetEnd of contract31 May 2023Pre-season Domingo Oramas6 June 2023[36]
Delhi Surinder Singh31 May 2023 Yan Law25 June 2023[37]
Inter KashiInaugural manager Carlos Santamarina29 June 2023[38]
Churchill Brothers Mateus CostaEnd of contract31 May 2023 Edgardo Malvestiti29 July 2023[39]
Mohammedan Mehrajuddin WadooSacked22 August 2023 Andrey Chernyshov29 August 2023[40]
Aizawl Caetano PinhoEnd of interim period31 May 2023 Erol Akbay2 September 2023[41]
NEROCA Khogen SinghEnd of contract1 October 2023 Jacob Joseph8 October 2023[42]
Namdhari Marko DjerkovicTBC Francesc Bonet6 October 2023[43]
Real Kashmir Gifton Noel-Williams31 May 2023 Ishfaq Ahmed27 October 2023[44]
Aizawl Erol AkbayMutual Agreement4 November 2023210 Malsawmzuala Sailo4 November 2023[45]
Namdhari Francesc BonetSacked25 November 2023610 Harpreet Singh25 November 2023[46]
Churchill Brothers Edgardo Malvestiti6 January 2024911 Francesc Bonet27 January 2024[47] [48]
Aizawl Malsawmzuala SailoEnd of Interim Period22 January 2024411 Bobi Stojkoski23 January 2024[49]
NEROCA Jacob JosephSacked9 February 20241113 Gyan Moyon9 February 2024
Aizawl Bobi Stojkoski27 February 2024158 Malsawmzuala Sailo27 February 2024[50] [51]
Gokulam Kerala Domingo Oramas31 March 2024225 Shareef Khan31 March 2024[52]

Foreign players

Note: Players in bold have senior international cap(s) for their respective nations.

Initially, the AIFF committee decided to reduce registered foreign players to five in the squad and three in the starting line-up and remove the mandatory Asian quota.[53] [54]

However, on 22nd August 2023, the AIFF decided to retain the number of foreigners a club can sign in the I-League. Like the 2022–23 season, clubs can register six foreign players in their matchday squad. However, they can field only four (one must be from an AFC Member Association) at any given point during a match.[55]

scope=col style="width:130px;"Clubscope=col style="width:210px;"Player 1scope=col style="width:200px;"Player 2scope=col style="width:180px;"Player 3scope=col style="width:190px;"Player 4scope=col style="width:190px;"Player 5scope=col style="width:200px;"Player 6scope=col style="width:200px;"Former player(s)
scope=row style="text-align: left;Aizawl Gustavo Silva Ivan Marić Rafał Zaborowski Amir Memari
scope=row style="text-align: left;Churchill Brothers Aubin Kouakou Chika Ajulu Ogana Louis Abdou Karim Samb Kofi Essien Ricardo Dichiara
Emiliano Callegari
Meysam Shahmakvandzadeh
scope=row style="text-align: left;Delhi Sérgio Barboza Hudson Jesus Pape Gassama Alisher Kholmurodov Shokhrukhbek Muratov Takuto Miki Aroldinho
Joseba Beitia
Alaaeldin Nasr
scope=row style="text-align: left;Gokulam Kerala Aminou Bouba Álex Sánchez Pitu Viera Matija Babovic Nikola Stojanović Komron Tursunov Justine Emmanuel
Nili Perdomo
Edu Bedia
scope=row style="text-align: left;Inter Kashi Gianni dos Santos Peter Hartley Fran Gómez Jordan Lamela Julen Pérez Mario Barco
scope=row style="text-align: left;Mohammedan Alexis Gómez Juan Nellar Joseph Adjei Eddie Hernández Evgeniy Kozlov Mirjalol Kasimov Prince Opoku
Namdhari Imanol Arana Iván Garrido Stephen Acquah Olmes García
scope=row style="text-align: left;NEROCA Adama Coulibaly Ibrahim Nurudeen David Simbo Ansumana Kromah Haidar Awada Marius Leca
Bogdan Gavrila
Fabian Reid
scope=row style="text-align: left;Rajasthan United Jefferson Oliveira Ibrahim Moro Richardson Denzell Richard Gadze Marin Mudražija Paulo Vyctor
Dário Júnior
scope=row style="text-align: left;Real Kashmir Kamo Bayi Gnohere Krizo Carlos Lomba Kamal Issah Henry Kisekka Shaher Shaheen Mohamad Maksoud
scope=row style="text-align: left;Shillong Lajong Daniel Gonçalves Douglas Tardin Renan Paulino Marcos Rudwere Arik Bista Takuto Miki
Abdou Karim Samb
scope=row style="text-align: left;Sreenidi Deccan Eli Sabiá William Alves David Castañeda Ibrahim Sissoko Rilwan Hassan Faysal Shayesteh
scope=row style="text-align: left;TRAU Gerard Williams Ben Quansah Sardor Jakhonov Thawan Marcos
Willian Reis
Abraham Okyere
Ibrahima Baldé

League table

Results

Results by games

Charity match

The Mizoram Football Association in collaboration with Mizo Professional Footballers Association held a charity match on June 21. This match featured ISL vs I-League players from Mizoram to raise funds for Cyclone Remal victims.[56]

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerTeamGoals[57]
1 Álex SánchezGokulam Kerala19
2 Richardson DenzellRajasthan United16
3 Lalrinzuala LalbiakniaAizawl15
4 Eddie HernándezMohammedan13
Sérgio BarbozaDelhi
6 Gnohere KrizoReal Kashmir12
Mario BarcoInter Kashi
8 David CastañedaSreenidi Deccan11
9 William AlvesSreenidi Deccan9
10 Ogana LouisChurchill Brothers7
Abdou Karim SambShillong Lajong/Churchill Brothers

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDateRef
Yash TripathiRajasthan UnitedDelhi3–4 (A)[58]
Álex SánchezGokulam KeralaRajasthan United5–0 (H)[59]
Lalrinzuala LalbiakniaAizawlNEROCA3–1 (A)[60]
Richardson DenzellRajasthan UnitedTRAU5-4 (H)[61]
Eddie HernándezMohammedanRajasthan United5-1 (H)[62]
Abdou Karim SambChurchill BrothersNEROCA3–2 (A)[63]
Marin MudrazijaRajasthan UnitedNEROCA5–1 (H)[64]
Sérgio BarbozaDelhiShillong Lajong3–1 (H)[65]

Top assists

RankPlayerTeamAssists
1 Mario BarcoInter Kashi12
2 Edmund LalrindikaInter Kashi8
Noufal PNGokulam Kerala
4 Faysal ShayestehSreenidi Deccan7
5 Imanol AranaNamdhari6
Alexis GómezMohammedan
Martín ChávesChurchill Brothers
8 Lalchungnunga ChhangteRajasthan United5
Hardy NongbriShillong Lajong
Álex SánchezGokulam Kerala
Deepak SinghTRAU
Pape GassamaDelhi
Lalremruata RalteChurchill Brothers

Clean sheets

RankPlayerTeamClean sheets
1 Muheet ShabirReal Kashmir12
2 Padam ChettriMohammedan8
3 Albino GomesSreenidi Deccan7
Subhasish Roy ChowdhuryChurchill Brothers
5 Nora FernandesAizawl5
6 Avilash PaulGokulam Kerala3
Sachin JhaRajashthan United
Naveen KumarDelhi
Devansh DabasGokulam Kerala
10 Tenzin SamdupNamdhari2
Neithovilie ChalieuShillong Lajong
Arindam BhattacharyaInter Kashi
Bhabindra Malla ThakuriRajashthan United
Nishan SinghNamdhari

Attendances

Overall

Attendances by home matches

Team \ Match played1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12Total
5,585 5,248 5,9876,425 6,718 6,1157,4384,8915,8126,6177,1517,81675,803
19,76410,485 4,388 13,4252,0002,500 2,5002,0231,5401,0241,10060061,349
4,9003,786 1,773 5,825 3,885 1,821 2,500N/A2001,0002,00024,67852,368
1,8726,200 4,728 3,172 3,659 2,500 N/A 3,740 1,6357,6322,2541,10038,492
7672,000 3,004 3,4852,879 1,0001,4621,2462,056300N/AN/A18,199
2,3141,8952,0001,683500 1,633 8251,02598120027555013,881
6006181,100 1,182 1,058 918 1502005002502002006,976
2,687500123 2591274471872007523252324556,294
561350300898 1,200 4883005005002504004006,147
750696 900 650 750 123802001682501491904,906
200 212 153 258 259 2,500100501501002001004,282
200315 100 128 422 1285122592221525001233,061
150200 88 280 88 86 312 100 1005001002002,204
Legend:
Updated to game(s) played on 13 April 2024
Source: I-League

Awards

Álex Sánchez (Gokulam Kerala) has won the Hero of the match award the most times (7).

Hero of the match
Match no.PlayerTeamMatch no.PlayerTeamMatch no.PlayerTeam
1 Wayne VazReal Kashmir2 Álex SánchezGokulam Kerala3 David CastañedaSreenidi Deccan
4 Alexis GómezMohammedan5 Balwant SinghDelhi6 Martín ChávesChurchill Brothers
7 Yash TripathiRajasthan United8 Rosenberg GabrielSreenidi Deccan9 Daniel GonçalvesShillong Lajong
10 Jeremy LaldinpuiaReal Kashmir11 Álex Sánchez (2)Gokulam Kerala12 Mario BarcoInter Kashi
13 TharpuiaAizawl14 Joseph AdjeiMohammedan15 Ricardo DichiaraChurchill Brothers
16 Renan PaulinoShillong Lajong17 Álex Sánchez (3)Gokulam Kerala18 Padam ChettriMohammedan
19 Akashdeep SinghNamdhari20 Álex Sánchez (4)Gokulam Kerala21 Richardson DenzellRajasthan United
22 Rosenberg Gabriel (2)Sreenidi Deccan23 Lalrinzuala LalbiakniaAizawl24 Gaurav RawatDelhi
25 Gyamar NikumInter Kashi26 Imanol AranaNamdhari27 Sagolsem Bikash SinghMohammedan
28 Hardy NongbriShillong Lajong29 Jagdeep SinghSreenidi Deccan30 Wahengbam AngousanaMohammedan
31 Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia (2)Aizawl32 Phrangki BuamShillong Lajong33 Ricardo Dichiara (2)Churchill Brothers
34 Muhammad HammadReal Kashmir35 Eli SabiáSreenidi Deccan36 Hardy Nongbri (2)Shillong Lajong
37 Jagdeep Singh (2)Sreenidi Deccan38 Emiliano Callegari TorreChurchill Brothers39 David SimboNEROCA
40 Mohammad InamReal Kashmir41 Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia (3)Aizawl42 Pape GassamaDelhi
43 Jordan LamelaInter Kashi44 Nora FernandesAizawl45 Abhijith KurungodanGokulam Kerala
46 Ibrahim MoroRajasthan United47 Eddie HernándezMohammedan48 Bali GagandeepDelhi
49 Renan Paulino (2)Shillong Lajong50 Richard GadzeRajasthan United51 R LalbiaklianaSreenidi Deccan
52 Joe ZoherlianaAizawl53 Mirjalol KasimovMohammedan54 Ivan MarićAizawl
55 Danish AribamTRAU56 Faisal AliChurchill Brothers57 Carlos LombaReal Kashmir
58 Eli Sabiá (2)Sreenidi Deccan59 Mirjalol Kasimov (2)Mohammedan60 Jordan Lamela (2)Inter Kashi
61 Richardson Denzell (2)Rajasthan United62 Mohammad Inam (2)Real Kashmir63 Álex Sánchez (5)Gokulam Kerala
64 Manvir SinghNamdhari65 Padam Chettri (2)Mohammedan66 Álex Sánchez (6)Gokulam Kerala
67 Nora Fernandes (2)Aizawl68 Richardson Denzell (3)Rajasthan United69 Renan Paulino (3)Shillong Lajong
70 Hudson JesusDelhi71 Lalremsanga FanaiMohammedan72 Gianni dos SantosInter Kashi
73 Eli Sabiá (3)Sreenidi Deccan74No one was given due to the cancellation of the match75 Marin MudražijaRajasthan United
76 Nikola StojanovićGokulam Kerala77 Martín Cháves (2)Churchill Brothers78 Nora Fernandes (3)Aizawl
79 Danish Aribam (2)TRAU80 Sourav KGokulam Kerala81 Eddie Hernández (2)Mohammedan
82 Akashdeep Singh (2)Namdhari83 David Castañeda (2)Sreenidi Deccan84 Muhammad AjsalInter Kashi
85 Sérgio BarbozaDelhi86 Komron TursunovGokulam Kerala87 Eddie Hernández (3)Mohammedan
88 Kynsaibor LhuidShillong Lajong89 Gyamar Nikum (2)Inter Kashi90 Gnohere KrizoReal Kashmir
91 Lalliansanga RenthleiGokulam Kerala92 David Castañeda (3)Sreenidi Deccan93 Shokhrukhbek MuratovDelhi
94 LalbiakzualaRajasthan United95 Mohammad Inam (3)Real Kashmir96 Abhijith Kurungodan (2)Gokulam Kerala
97 Rilwan HassanSreenidi Deccan98 Manash Protim GogoiTRAU99 Edmund LalrindikaInter Kashi
100 Ogana LouisChurchill Brothers101 Henry KisekkaReal Kashmir102 Daniel Gonçalves (2)Shillong Lajong
103 Iván GarridoNamdhari104 David Castañeda (4)Sreenidi Deccan105 Lalchungnunga ChhangteRajasthan United
106 Akashdeep Singh (3)Namdhari107 David LalhlansangaMohammedan108 Gnohere Krizo (2)Real Kashmir
109No one was given due to the cancellation of the match110 Richardson Denzell (4)Rajasthan United111 Abdou Karim SambChurchill Brothers
112 Muhammad Ajsal (2)Inter Kashi113 Phrangki Buam (2)Shillong Lajong114 Sagolsem Bikash Singh (2)Mohammedan
115 LalromawiaSreenidi Deccan116 Matija BabovićGokulam Kerala117 Marin Mudražija (2)Rajasthan United
118 Pritam Kumar SinghTRAU119 Eddie Hernández (4)Mohammedan120 Peter HartleyInter Kashi
121 Adnan AyubReal Kashmir122 Matija Babović (2)Gokulam Kerala123 Richardson Denzell (5)Rajasthan United
124 Harpreet SinghNamdhari125 Gurtej SinghDelhi126 Eddie Hernández (5)Mohammedan
127 William AlvesSreenidi Deccan128 Mario Barco (2)Inter Kashi129 Ansumana KromahNEROCA
130 Peter Seiminthang HaokipNamdhari131 Arindam BhattacharyaInter Kashi132 Muhammad Hammad (2)Real Kashmir
133 Sérgio Barboza (2)Delhi134 Stendly FernandesChurchill Brothers135 Lourembam David SinghNEROCA
136 Sérgio Barboza (3)Delhi137 Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia (4)Aizawl138 Hyder YousufReal Kashmir
139 Mario Barco (3)Inter Kashi140 Lalromawia (2)Sreenidi Deccan141 Peter Seiminthang Haokip (2)Namdhari
142 Martín Cháves (3)Churchill Brothers143 Khoirom Jackson SinghNEROCA144 Hudson Jesus (2)Delhi
145 Ogana Louis (2)Churchill Brothers146 Soraisam Robinson SinghTRAU147 Padam Chettri (3)Mohammedan
148 Álex Sánchez (7)Gokulam Kerala149 Julen PérezInter Kashi150 Ogana Louis (3)Churchill Brothers
151 Noufal PNGokulam Kerala152 Stephen AcquahNamdhari153 MayakkannanSreenidi Deccan
154 Shokhrukhbek MuratovDelhi

Annual awards

AwardWinner
Best Player Álex Sánchez (Gokulam Kerala)
Best Goalkeeper Padam Chettri (Mohammedan)
Jarnail Singh Award (Best Defender) Muhammad Hammad (Real Kashmir)
Best Midfielder Mirjalol Kasimov (Mohammedan)
Highest Scorer Álex Sánchez (Gokulam Kerala)
Best Emerging Player Gyamar Nikum (Inter Kashi)
Syed Abdul Rahim Award (Best Coach) Andrey Chernyshov (Mohammedan)
Fair Play ContestTRAU
Best Match OrganisationMohammedan
Best Media OperationsRajasthan United
Source: I-League

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023-10-06 . Mark your calendars. The #ILeague fixtures are out . 2023-10-06 . . en-US . 25 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231025231502/https://twitter.com/IndianFootball/status/1710189481003790798 . live .
  2. Web site: 2023-01-15 . The #ILeague fixtures for the second part of the season are out! ️ . 2024-01-16 . . en-US . 16 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116075303/https://twitter.com/ILeague_aiff/status/1746874562690810258?t=GmAEkE51qQbJJ3NGj8HPyQ&s=19 . live .
  3. Web site: 2023-10-10 . I-League 2023-24 Schedule- Teams, Fixtures, Points Table, Venue, Results and More . https://web.archive.org/web/20231015071614/https://bodopedia.com/football/i-league-2023-24-schedule/ . 15 October 2023 . Bodo Pedia . en-US . live .
  4. Web site: 2024-04-06 . I-League 2023-24 LIVE Score: Mohammedan Sporting Strike Early at Shillong Lajjong; SLFC 0-1 MSC . 2024-04-06 . News18 . en.
  5. Web site: Mohammedan SC beats Shillong Lajong to win maiden I-League title, joins Mohun Bagan SG, East Bengal in ISL. sportstar.thehindu.com. 7 April 2024. 6 April 2024. Sportstar. https://web.archive.org/web/20240407072051/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/mohammedan-sc-wins-i-league-title-isl-promotion-joins-east-bengal-mohun-bagan-legacy-club/article68037061.ece. Shillong. 7 April 2024.
  6. Web site: Mohammedan SC clinch maiden I-League title . 2024-04-06 . onmanorama.com . 6 April 2024 . PTI . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406161241/https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2024/04/06/mohammeda-sc-clinch-maiden-i-league-title.html . Manorama News Online . 6 April 2024 . Shillong .
  7. Web site: Chaos in I-League: TRAU, NEROCA refuse to play Aizwal FC. thebridge.in. The Bridge. Pritish. Raj. 11 April 2024. 14 April 2024. 11 April 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240411144258/https://thebridge.in/football/i-league-chaos-neroca-trau-refuse-aizwal-46856.
  8. Web site: AIFF Cancels Games As Manipur Teams Refuse To Travel To Aizawl. TNN. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. The Times of India. Marcus. Mergulhao. 11 April 2024. 14 April 2024. 13 April 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240413033843/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/aiff-cancels-games-as-manipur-teams-refuse-to-travel-to-aizawl/articleshow/109204944.cms.
  9. Web site: Aizawl FC call off games against TRAU & NEROCA; Manipuri clubs cite security concerns. khelnow.com. Khel Now News. Rutvij. Joshi. 10 April 2024. 14 April 2024. 10 April 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240410193527/https://khelnow.com/football/indian-football-i-league-aizawl-fc-trau-neroca-manipur-violence-202404.
  10. Web site: AIFF Executive Committee inducts five new clubs into Hero I-League, Federation Cup restored . 3 July 2023 . The AIFF . 3 July 2023 . 4 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230704045109/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/aiff-executive-committee-inducts-five-new-clubs-into-hero-i-league-federation-cup-restored . live.
  11. Web site: Federation Cup returns, AIFF inducts five new clubs into I-League . 3 July 2023 . Times of India . 3 July 2023 . 4 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230704045109/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/federation-cup-returns-aiff-inducts-five-new-clubs-into-i-league/articleshow/101465172.cms . live.
  12. Web site: Profiling the five potential I-League direct entrants for 2023-24 season . 3 July 2023 . Khel Now . 3 July 2023 . 4 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230704045109/https://khelnow.com/football/2023-06-i-league-direct-entrants-profile . live.
  13. Web site: Collaboration agreement in the Inter Kashi project . 29 June 2023 . Club Atletico de Madrid . 3 July 2023 . 29 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230629140250/https://en.atleticodemadrid.com/noticias/collaboration-agreement-in-the-inter-kashi-project . live.
  14. Web site: 2023-05-02 . Namdhari Football Club from Punjab to bid for a spot in I-League 2023-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230703144431/https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/news-namdhari-football-club-punjab-bid-spot-i-league-2023-24 . 3 July 2023 . 2023-08-14 . www.sportskeeda.com . en-us.
  15. News: AIFF likely to be left with only two new direct entrants in I-League . 24 July 2023 . The Times of India . 24 July 2023 . 24 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230724192109/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/aiff-likely-to-be-left-with-only-two-new-direct-entrants-in-i-league/articleshow/102088569.cms?from=mdr . live .
  16. Web site: 2023-08-08 . With only two new corporate teams, AIFF likely to persist with home-away format for I-League . 2023-08-08 . News9live . en-US . 10 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230810225137/https://www.news9live.com/sports/football/with-only-two-new-teams-aiff-likely-to-persist-with-home-away-format-for-i-league-2242381 . live .
  17. Web site: 2023-05-02 . I-League: AIFF keen to add new teams, introduces triple-tier bid system for direct entry . 2023-08-29 . . en-US . 29 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230829071957/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/i-league-aiff-keen-to-add-new-teams-introduces-triple-tier-bid-system-for-direct-entry/articleshow/99917485.cms?from=mdr . live .
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