AIFF proposes new structure for men's football competitions in India

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has reportedly proposed a new four-tier structure for Indian national football leagues and state leagues to the State FAs and the other stakeholders of Indian football. The four-tier structure will introduce a new second-tier national league and new flagship state leagues that will completely revamp the men's football structure in India. 

According to 90ndstoppage, AIFF has not proposed anything on promotion and relegations and so many questions about the new structure remain there. AIFF State Gradation and State Specific Strategic Plans meeting concluded on 14 November but there is no official confirmation about the new structure. 

The newly proposed structure

According to 90ndstoppage, the newly proposed structural overhaul will let the Indian Super League continue as the Tier 1 National League in India. However, 16 teams will compete in the ISL. 

I League is the Tier 2 National League in India as per the current structure; whereas I League 2 and I League 3 continue to be the third and fourth-tier respectively. The revamped structure is likely to merge the I League, I League 2 and I League 3 into one single National League which will include 16 clubs in total and continue as the second-tier National League in India. 

However, AIFF plans to introduce flagship state franchise leagues in 12 states with high footballing activities which will include 6 teams in each state league in the beginning and will expand to 10 teams by 2030. This new franchise state leagues will be considered the new Tier 3. 

The existing state league will be continued as Tier 4 in the newly proposed structure.

AIFF reportedly proposed a new structure for the Santosh Trophy as well.

AIFF in it's recent conclave with Member Associations (State FAs) floated the idea of new structured Men's NFC! 👀🏆

Thoughts? 🤔 #90ndstoppage pic.twitter.com/yTMge0HqOI

— 90ndstoppage (@90ndstoppage) November 16, 2024

Remaining questions

The current footballing structure for men's football in India has no relegation in the Indian Super League, but the second-tier I League has one promotion berth to the ISL and one relegation berth to the I League 2. Similarly, I League 2 has 2 promotions to the I League and 2 relegations to the I League 3. 

AIFF wants to do a franchise league in states and the winner of those leagues will go into the something called a national league and the winner of that league will be promoted to ISL. #Indianfootball #Ileague #PressConference

— football news india (@fni) November 16, 2024

However, it is not yet clear if ISL will finally adopt the Promotion-relegation format as well in the new structure. There is no clear indication of how the one consolidated second-tier National League will work with only 16 clubs; whereas the I League, I League 2 and I League 3 have 49 clubs in total that play in the national level of Indian football.

Various questions remain for the proposed state franchise leagues. It will be exciting to see if AIFF fixes a certain franchise fee for clubs to be paid to participate in the new flagship state leagues. If so, how the existing clubs will participate without proper sponsors and prominent infrastructure remains clouded.