I-League, the second tier of Indian Football, was once the top-tier football league of the country, before the Indian Super League (ISL) replaced it. From 1996 to the 2006-07 season, the league was named the National Football League, and from 2007-08, it was rebranded as the I-League.

The league operates on a relegation and promotion system with I-League 2 and a first-only promotion system with the ISL, from the 2022–23 season. This means the I-League winners get a promotion to the Indian Super League, whereas the bottom team gets relegated to I-League 2.

Since the rebranding of the league, Dempo SC have won the league most times (3). Churchill Brothers, Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru and Gokulam Kerala have won the league twice.

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I-League winners since 2007-08 | sportzpoint.com

Inter Kashi were on Friday declared I-League 2024-25 champions after the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Appeal Committee's decision of awarding the title to Churchill Brothers of Goa.

This made Inter Kashi only the third team to get promoted from I-League to ISL, after Punjab FC (RoundGlass Punjab), Mohammedan Sporting.

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Why was there confusion about announcing the I-League 2024-25 winners?

On 31st May 2025, the AIFF announced Churchill Brothers as the I-League 2024-25 champions after its Appeal Committee ruled against Inter Kashi in a matter related to the fielding of an 'ineligible player'. Inter Kashi finished as the runners-up after getting two points deducted.

However, Inter Kashi filed an appeal against AIFF's decision on 4 June 2025. On 18th July 2025, the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) asked the AIFF to reverse its decision of awarding the 2024-25 season title to Churchill Brothers.

Inter Kashi thus now have won the I-League in their second season in Indian Football.

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Clubs promoted to ISL from I-League

Season	Champions
2022–23	RoundGlass Punjab
2023–24	Mohammedan
2024–25	Inter Kashi

I-League winners since 2007-08

Season	Champions	Runners-up	Third Place	Teams
2007–08	Dempo	Churchill Brothers	JCT	10
2008–09	Churchill Brothers	Mohun Bagan	Sporting Goa	12
2009–10	Dempo (2)	Churchill Brothers	Pune	14
2010–11	Salgaocar	East Bengal	Dempo	14
2011–12	Dempo (3)	East Bengal	Churchill Brothers	14
2012–13	Churchill Brothers (2)	Pune	East Bengal	14
2013–14	Bengaluru	East Bengal	Salgaocar	13
2014–15	Mohun Bagan	Bengaluru	Royal Wahingdoh	11
2015–16	Bengaluru (2)	Mohun Bagan	East Bengal	9
2016–17	Aizawl	Mohun Bagan	East Bengal	10
2017–18	Minerva Punjab	NEROCA	Mohun Bagan	10
2018–19	Chennai City	East Bengal	Real Kashmir	11
2019–20	Mohun Bagan (2)	Not Awarded	–	11
2020–21	Gokulam Kerala	Churchill Brothers	TRAU	11
2021–22	Gokulam Kerala (2)	Mohammedan	Sreenidi Deccan	13
2022–23	RoundGlass Punjab	Sreenidi Deccan	Gokulam Kerala	12
2023–24	Mohammedan	Sreenidi Deccan	Gokulam Kerala	13
2024–25	Inter Kashi	Churchill Brothers	Real Kashmir	12

Tag: Inter Kashi

I-League winners since 2007-08

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