National Football League (India) Explained

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.

History

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]

Sponsorship

PeriodSponsorIndustryTournament
1996–1998 PhilipsConglomeratePhilips National Football League
1998–2001 The Coca-Cola CompanyBeverageCoca-Cola National Football League
2001–2002 Tata GroupConglomerateTata National Football League
2002–2003 ONGC,BPCL, HPCL, IOC, GAIL, IBP, Cochin Refineries Ltd. and Chennai Refineries Ltd.Public sector enterprisesOil PSU National Football League
2003–2004 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

Champions

Premier Division

SeasonChampions
(number of titles)[10]
Runners-upThird placeLeading goalscorer(s)Goals
1996–97JCT MillsChurchill BrothersEast Bengal Bhaichung Bhutia (JCT Mills)14
1997–98Mohun BaganEast BengalSalgaocar Raman Vijayan (Kochin)10
1998–99SalgaocarEast BengalChurchill Brothers Philip Mensah (Churchill Brothers)11
1999–00Mohun Bagan (2)Churchill BrothersSalgaocar Igor Shkvyrin (Mohun Bagan)11
2000–01East BengalMohun BaganChurchill Brothers José Ramirez Barreto (Mohun Bagan)14
2001–02Mohun Bagan (3)Churchill BrothersVasco Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers)18
2002–03East Bengal (2)SalgaocarVasco Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers)21
2003–04East Bengal (3)DempoMahindra United Cristiano Júnior (East Bengal)15
2004–05DempoSporting GoaEast Bengal Dudu Omagbemi (Sporting Goa)21
2005–06Mahindra UnitedEast BengalMohun Bagan Ranti Martins (Dempo)13
2006–07Dempo (2)JCT MillsMahindra United Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers)18

Second Division

See main article: National Football League Second Division (India).

Third Division

See main article: National Football League Third Division (India).

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History of I-League . AIFF . i-league.org . 27 June 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230614150349/https://i-league.org/about-us/history-of-i-league/ . 14 June 2023.
  2. Web site: Departments' League — A solution to many problems. englisharchives.mathrubhumi.com. Mathrubhumi. Kochi. 8 March 2016. M. M. Jafar. Khan. 28 November 2022. 4 August 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230804042211/https://englisharchives.mathrubhumi.com/sports/features/english-news-1.916067.
  3. Web site: National Football League . indianfootball.de . 4 September 2020 . 27 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201027034504/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl.html . live .
  4. Web site: NFL Champions and Goalscorers . Rediff . 4 September 2020 . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220719/http://www.rediff.com/sports/nflroll.htm . live .
  5. Web site: NFL Division 2 . indianfootball.de . 4 September 2020 . 26 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201026081440/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl2.html . live .
  6. Web site: NFL Under-19 . indianfootball.de . 4 September 2020 . 2 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200802071920/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nflj.html . live .
  7. News: East Bengal lift ASEAN Cup . 4 September 2020 . Rediff . 26 July 2003 . 10 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210410215859/https://www.rediff.com/sports/2003/jul/26foot2.htm . live .
  8. Web site: NFL Division Three . RSSSF . 4 September 2020 . 9 June 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090609201305/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/india07.html#nfl2 . live .
  9. News: AIFF's I-League to have 10 teams . 4 September 2020 . Rediff . 21 November 2007 . 8 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200808071300/https://www.rediff.com/sports/2007/nov/21aiff.htm . live .
  10. Web site: India — List of National Champions. Atsushi Fujioka & Arunava Chaudhuri. RSSSF. 14 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211026112338/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/indiachamp.html. 26 October 2021.