Football
Indian football roadmap: I-League clubs set to get promoted to ISL from 2022-23 season
On Monday, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the top brass of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) held a meeting of stakeholders to discuss the roadmap of India’s domestic football structure in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
On Monday, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the top brass of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) held a meeting of stakeholders to discuss the roadmap of India’s domestic football structure in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The AIFF had invited the clubs of the country’s two parallelly running domestic leagues to the AFC headquarters. The officials of Football Sports Development Limited, the organisers of the ISL, were also present in the meeting.
In a presentation made by the federation it was announced that as per the agreement between AFC and AIFF, from the 2022-23 season, the winner of the I-League will get promoted to the Indian Super League (ISL) by virtue of merit. Furthermore, the I-League winners will not have to pay any participation fee.
The AFC has agreed upon a proposed timeline till 2024/25. For the coming three seasons (2019-’20, 2020-’21 and 2021-’22), there will be no promotion and relegation in the ISL. By the end of the 2020-’21 season, I-League clubs will be offered entry to the ISL.
Thus, from the 2024-25 season, the ISL will cease to be a closed league and promotion and relegation will be an integral part of it. However, the exact number of clubs to be relegated or promoted is yet to be decided.
What AFC and AIFF said in statement
Dato’ Windsor John, the AFC General Secretary, said: “Everyone has to put the good of Indian football at the forefront and take the best decisions to develop Indian club football. The AFC will be very much involved to ensure the growth of the game to the next level with the pathway to a single league.
“Every point of this package – and it is a package – has been thought-out extremely carefully and it is aimed simply at providing the best chance to develop Indian club football. We have informed AIFF that 10-12 teams are not enough for the top League – it must be bigger.
“Everyone has contributed to the development of the Indian club game – ISL, I-League clubs, the AIFF and the AFC – and I am sure that if this roadmap is considered further, then Indian football will see the benefits for the game. We are now all working together to deliver the best future.”
AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das, added: “We now have a roadmap which provides the best opportunity for Indian club football. I would like to thank the AFC – and its General Secretary – for their contribution in proposing a solution to this unique problem. India is an important country for football in Asia.
“We have to be financially sustainable and take into consideration all commercial and contractual aspects of this plan because commerce is key to football not only in India but across the world of football. We must be cognisant of that fact of football life, that footballing legacy and investment are equally important for the development of Indian football.”
Key aspects of the roadmap
- In season 2019-20, the ISL will attain the status of premier league competition in Indian football.
- As a special compensation to India, the AFC will allow the winning ISL club to represent India in the AFC Champions League play-offs, and the I-League winner will get to play the AFC Cup play-off.
- Another key recommendation by the AFC is to open a pathway for two I-League clubs’ entry into the ISL by the end of the 2020-21 season, subject to the criteria being fulfilled.
- In addition, starting with the 2022-23 season, the winner of I-League will stand a chance to be promoted to the ISL with no participation fee, basis fulfilling sporting merit and the national club licensing criteria to be set out by the AIFF. There will be no relegation in the ISL at this time.
- In its recommendation for 2024-25, it is agreed to fully implement promotion and relegation into the top league, and abolition of two parallel leagues
ISL league topper to get ACL spot
As reported widely, it was also confirmed that the continental body has agreed for a club from the ISL to represent India in the AFC Champions League play-offs while the I-League champions will get the AFC Cup slot. The winners of Super Cup, however, are unlikely to get any of the two continental spots until the 2024-25 season.
The AFC Club competitions' clause 12.1 states that the top continental spot must be allotted to the "winner of the national top division league”. Thus, it has been decided that the winners of the league stage of ISL, and not the eventual champions, will get the ACL playoff spot.
Praful Patel, on his part, had previously indicated that he wanted the I-League winners to get the AFC slot but it will not be the case. He had said, “I feel that the I-League also must co-exist with the fullest recognition of the AFC so that it is an AFC product. It should not be something which is not recognised by the AFC. So the clubs in I-League must also not get lost in the upward movement.”
