| Tamil Nadu Football Association | |
| Abbrev: | TNFA |
| Sport: | Football |
| Jurisdiction: | Tamil Nadu |
| Founded: | [1] |
| Aff: | All India Football Federation (AIFF) |
| Headquarters: | Chennai |
| Membership: | 38 district association |
| President: | Jesiah Villavarayar[2] |
The Tamil Nadu Football Association (also known as Tamilnadu; abbreviated as TNFA), formerly the Madras Football Association, is one of the 36 Indian state football associations that are affiliated with the All India Football Federation. The TNFA administers football in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.[3] It sends state teams for Santosh Trophy and Senior Women's National Football Championship.
The first football tournament in Madras was held in 1894 with 10 teams from all over the country.[4] From the year 1895, the Madras Gymkhana Club hosted an annual tournament. The winning team gets the EK Chetty Cup. Regimental units like Queens Own Regiment, Lancashire Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion the Dorsetshire Regiment, and 5th Field Battery - Royal Regiment of Artillery participated in the tournament. The EK Chetty Cup was won by regimental teams till 1933. The Pachaiyappa High School became the first Indian and non-military team to win it. The South Indian Athletic Association instituted the Jatprole Cup tournament.[5]
Madras Football Association was formed on 5 January 1934, following drafting of the constitution on 26 October 1933, with jurisdiction for the whole of the original undivided state of Madras, including the present Andhra and Kerala states, by the members of the Madras United Club - a body founded by sport loving Indians.[6] Madras Football Association league championship was started in 1934. Pachaiyappa's football club won the inaugural 1934–35 league championship. The MFA started conducting the First division league from 1936, and the Second division from 1937. In the year of 1978, Madras city clubs formed a separate association under Chennai Football Association. renaming the state federation as the Tamil Nadu Football Association.[7]
N. Vittal served as the president of Tamil Nadu Football Association. He also served as the vice-president of All India Football Federation. T.R. Govindarajan served as the secretary of the TNFA.[8]
Some of the tournaments conducted by the TNFA are Tamil Nadu State League,[9] [10] [11] Vittal Trophy,[12] Champions Trophy - Universal Cup,[13] and TFA Shield.[14] At present, all these three tournaments are not conducted.[15] The major leagues in the Tamil Nadu happen in districts like Chennai and Madurai. Chennai district league (Chennai Super League)[16] [17] is conducted by Chennai Football Association (CFA), and the Madurai district league by Madurai District Football Association. The Tiruvallur District Football Association conducted the Don Bosco - Fr. McFerran Trophy All India football tournament sanctioned by the Tamil Nadu Football Association and All India Football Federation (AIFF).[18]
All 38 districts of Tamil Nadu are affiliated with the Tamil Nadu Football Association.
| No. | Association | District | President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ariyalur District Football Association | Ariyalur | ||
| 2 | Chengalpattu District Football Association | Chengalpattu | ||
| 3 | Chennai | |||
| 4 | Coimbatore district Football Association | Coimbatore | ||
| 5 | Cuddalore district Football Association | Cuddalore | ||
| 6 | Dharmapuri district Football Association | Dharmapuri | ||
| 7 | Dindigul district Football Association | Dindigul | ||
| 8 | Erode district Football Association | Erode | ||
| 9 | Kallakurichi district Football Association | Kallakurichi | ||
| 10 | Kancheepuram district Football Association | Kancheepuram | ||
| 11 | Kanyakumari district Football Association | Kanyakumari | ||
| 12 | Karur district Football Association | Karur | ||
| 13 | Krishnagiri district Football Association | Krishnagiri | ||
| 14 | Madurai district Football Association | Madurai | ||
| 15 | Mayiladuthurai district Football Association | Mayiladuthurai | ||
| 16 | Nagapattinam district Football Association | Nagapattinam | ||
| 17 | Namakkal district Football Association | Namakkal | ||
| 18 | Nilgiris district Football Association | Nilgiris | ||
| 19 | Perambalur district Football Association | Perambalur | ||
| 20 | Pudukkottai district Football Association | Pudukkottai | ||
| 21 | Ramanathapuram district Football Association | Ramanathapuram | ||
| 22 | Ranipet district Football Association | Ranipet | ||
| 23 | Salem district Football Association | Salem | ||
| 24 | Sivaganga district Football Association | Sivaganga | ||
| 25 | Tenkasi district Football Association | Tenkasi | ||
| 26 | Thanjavur district Football Association | Thanjavur | ||
| 27 | Theni district Football Association | Theni | ||
| 28 | Thoothukudi district Football Association | Thoothukudi | ||
| 29 | Tiruchirappalli district Football Association | Tiruchirappalli | ||
| 30 | Tirunelveli district Football Association | Tirunelveli | ||
| 31 | Tirupathur district Football Association | Tirupathur | ||
| 32 | Tiruppur district Football Association | Tiruppur | ||
| 33 | Tiruvallur district Football Association | Tiruvallur | ||
| 34 | Tiruvannamalai district Football Association | Tiruvannamalai | ||
| 35 | Tiruvarur district Football Association | Tiruvarur | ||
| 36 | Vellore district Football Association | Vellore | ||
| 37 | Viluppuram district Football Association | Viluppuram | ||
| 38 | Virudhunagar district Football Association | Virudhunagar |
| Chennai Football League | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Division | |
| 1 (Level 5 on Indian football pyramid) | CFA Senior Division ↑promote (I-League 3) ↓relegate | |
| 2 (Level 6 on Indian football pyramid) | CFA First Division ↑promote ↓relegate | |
| 3 (Level 7 on Indian football pyramid) | CFA Second Division ↑promote ↓relegate | |
| 4 (Level 8 on Indian football pyramid) | CFA Third Division ↑promote ↓relegate | |
| 5 (Level 9 on Indian football pyramid) | CFA Fourth Division ↑promote | |