AIFF delays Federation Cup revival to 2024-25 season, Super Cup to continue in 2023-24

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has decided to postpone the reintroduction of the Federation Cup by a year as per News 9, with the tournament now scheduled to return in the 2024-25 season.

Initially, the AIFF had announced on July 3, 2023, that the Federation Cup would make a comeback in the 2023-24 season, with the intent of running it concurrently with the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League. However, due to several logistical and scheduling challenges, the Federation Cup's revival has been delayed.

The decision to bring back the Federation Cup was motivated by the AIFF's desire to resurrect a "legacy competition" that holds historical significance in Indian football. The Super Cup, which had replaced the Federation Cup, did not receive unanimous support from all participating ISL and I-League clubs, leading to calls for the return of the iconic tournament.

A tight fixture calendar, which has created a club versus country scheduling conflict, and existing commitments with AIFF's marketing partners have been cited as the primary reasons for this postponement. As of now, a specific date and time for the Federation Cup's return in the 2024-25 season have yet to be finalized.

The Super Cup, traditionally held towards the end of the football season, after the end of both the ISL and I-League, has faced criticism for its timing, which has made it less appealing to many clubs and fans. The AIFF is now actively searching for a suitable window to hold the Super Cup in the 2023-24 season, although they might be compelled to schedule it towards the end of the season once again due to logistical constraints.