13 clubs, 156 matches: AIFF announces format for I-League 2023-24

The All India Football Federation’s League Committee has decided the format for the I-League season 2023-24, with 13 clubs participating on a home-and-away double round-robin format comprising 156 matches.

However, participation of these clubs is subject to the fulfilment of the AIFF's Club Licensing process.

Each club will play 24 matches. The clubs are allowed to register a maximum of five foreigners in their squad and three in the playing XI. There will no longer be any AFC player quota requirements.

The club finishing on top of the table at the end of the league will be declared I-League 2023-24 champion and will be eligible for promotion to the Indian Super League 2024-25, provided it fulfils the Club Licensing criteria.

Last season's I-League champion Punjab FC has been promoted to the ISL. The two relegated sides from the last season - Mumbai Kenkre FC and Sudeva Delhi FC - have been replaced by Delhi FC and Shillong Lajong FC, the top two sides from the 2022-23 Second Division League.

Inter Kashi and Namdhari FC have been included in the I-League as corporate entries.

League Committee chairperson Lalnghinglova Hmar said, “Earlier, we did not have a properly-tiered league structure, but that has changed. Now, the ISL, the I-League, Second Division and Third Division are all connected with each other to create a strong league structure.”

"More and more clubs are coming up to participate in not just the I-League, but the third division as well. We are all committed to arriving at the best decisions to make the league structure competitive. That would encourage clubs to aspire to rise from the district level to the national level, and help in the overall improvement of Indian football,” AIFF secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran said.

For the newly-formed 3rd Division League, nine state FAs fulfilled the criteria for nominating teams - Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.