Indian Football 2024-25 season to kick off in July

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) made a series of major announcements on Tuesday regarding the upcoming 2024-25 season calendar. Here are the key highlights of the changes.

Unlike the previous seasons where the Durand Cup commenced in August, the 2024-25 season will witness an early start with the prestigious tournament scheduled to begin in July. This shift marks a departure from the norm and sets the stage for an exciting kickoff to the football season in India. The tentative dates for the Durand Cup will be July 26th - 31st August.

In a bid to foster the development of young talents across the country, the AIFF has allocated a nine-month window for the AIFF Youth Leagues in the U13, U15, and U17 categories.

One of the most significant changes announced is the decision to run the Indian Super League (ISL), I-League, and Super Cup concurrently from the next season onwards. This strategic shift aims to streamline the football calendar and ensure a seamless flow of top-tier football action throughout the season. Additionally, it eliminates the previous challenges faced by I-League clubs in participating in the Super Cup, which often clashed with their budgets.

The Super Cup/ Federation Cup is set to kickoff on October 1st, to a possible run extending to 15th May 2025.

The Indian Women's League (IWL) 1 is set to receive a substantial boost with a six-month window allocated for the competition. This extended duration provides female footballers with more opportunities to compete at the highest level and underscores the growing emphasis on women's football in India. Moreover, discussions regarding relegation and promotion between IWL 1 and 2 hint at further structural changes aimed at enhancing the women's football ecosystem in the country. Both IWL and I-League to run from mid-october to April.

The AIFF Competitions Calendar 2024-25:

Durand Cup: July 26 - August 31, 2024.

I-League 3: August 1 - September 30, 2024.

AIFF Youth Leagues (U13/U15/U17): September 1, 2024 - May 31, 2025.

Indian Super League: September 14, 2024 - April 30, 2025.

I-League: October 19, 2024 - April 30, 2025.

Indian Women's League: October 25, 2024 - April 30, 2025.

IWL 2: January 25 - April 30, 2025.

I-League 2: January 15 - April 30, 2025.

Super Cup: October 1, 2024 - May 15, 2025.

Junior Boys National Football Championship Tier 1 and Tier 2: July 15 - July 31, 2024.

Junior Girls National Football Championship Tier 1 and Tier 2: July 15 - July 31, 2024.

Sub-Junior Boys National Football Championship Tier 1 and Tier 2: August 5 - August 31, 2024.

Sub-Junior Girls National Football Championship Tier 1 and Tier 2: August 5 - August 31, 2024.

29th Senior Women's National Football Championship Group Stage: September 1 - September 15, 2024.

29th Senior Women's National Football Championship Final Round: October 1 - October 15, 2024.

78th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy Group Stage: November 5 - November 15, 2024.

78th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy Final Round: December 1 - December 15, 2024.

National Beach Soccer Championship: February 1 - February 20, 2025.

AIFF Men's Futsal Club Championship: May 1 - May 20, 2025.