| Country: | India |
| Confed: | AFC |
| Folded: | (reformed as the I-League)[1] |
| Teams: | 12 (from 1996-97 to 2003-04) 10 (from 2004-05 to 2006-07) |
| Levels: | 1 |
| Domest Cup: | Federation Cup Durand Cup Indian Super Cup |
| Champions: | Dempo (2nd title) |
| Season: | 2006–07 |
| Most Successful Club: | East Bengal Mohun Bagan (3 titles each) |
| Relegation: | National Football League Second Division |
| Confed Cup: | AFC Champions League AFC Cup |
The National Football League (NFL) was the men's highest level of the Indian football league system from 1996 to 2007.[2] 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 two main domestic cup competitions, the Federation Cup and Durand 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.
The National Football League was founded by the All India Football Federation, the governing body for football in India, in 1996.[3] 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.[4] To supplement the Premier Division, the AIFF began the second division of the NFL in 1997.[5] Tollygunge Agragami of Kolkata were the inaugural second division champions.[5]
In 2001, in order to help promote the development of young Indian players, the AIFF launched the under-19 league.[6] The inaugural season of the under-19 league would see East Bengal crowned champions.[6] Only three seasons of the under-19 league were held in 2001, 2002–03, and 2004–05.[6] The AIFF also fielded the India under-16 side in the league when held.[6]
In July 2003, East Bengal made history for the NFL when they won the 2003 ASEAN Club Championship, becoming the first Indian side to win an Asian level competition.[7] Prior to the 2006–07 season, the AIFF launched a third division, which was essentially just the qualifiers for the second division.[8] 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.[9] Dempo finished as the final NFL champions.[3]
| Period | Sponsor | Industry | Tournament | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–1998 | Philips | Conglomerate | Philips National Football League | |
| 1998–2001 | The Coca-Cola Company | Beverage | Coca-Cola National Football League | |
| 2001–2002 | Tata Group | Conglomerate | Tata National Football League | |
| 2002–2003 | ONGC,BPCL, HPCL, IOC, GAIL, IBP, Cochin Refineries Ltd. and Chennai Refineries Ltd. | Public sector enterprises | Oil PSU National Football League | |
| 2003–2004 | The Coca-Cola Company | Beverage | Coca-Cola National Football League | |
| 2004–2007 | ONGC | Petroleum | ONGC National Football League (2004–2005) ONGC Cup |
Played in NFL Premier Division
| Season | Champions (number of titles)[10] | Runners-up | Third place | Leading goalscorer(s) | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | JCT Mills | Churchill Brothers | East Bengal |  Bhaichung Bhutia (JCT Mills) | 14 | |
| 1997–98 | Mohun Bagan | East Bengal | Salgaocar | Raman Vijayan (Kochin) | 10 | |
| 1998–99 | Salgaocar | East Bengal | Churchill Brothers |  Philip Mensah (Churchill Brothers) | 11 | |
| 1999–00 | Mohun Bagan (2) | Churchill Brothers | Salgaocar |  Igor Shkvyrin (Mohun Bagan) | 11 | |
| 2000–01 | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan | Churchill Brothers |  José Ramirez Barreto (Mohun Bagan) | 14 | |
| 2001–02 | Mohun Bagan (3) | Churchill Brothers | Vasco | Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers) | 18 | |
| 2002–03 | East Bengal (2) | Salgaocar | Vasco | Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers) | 21 | |
| 2003–04 | East Bengal (3) | Dempo | Mahindra United | Cristiano Júnior (East Bengal) | 15 | |
| 2004–05 | Dempo | Sporting Goa | East Bengal |  Dudu Omagbemi (Sporting Goa) | 21 | |
| 2005–06 | Mahindra United | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan | Ranti Martins (Dempo) | 13 | |
| 2006–07 | Dempo (2) | JCT Mills | Mahindra United | Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers) | 18 |
See main article: National Football League Second Division (India).
See main article: National Football League Third Division (India).