What changes can done in the current I-League Football ecosystem to make it a successful league in the future?

The I-League, also known as the Hero I-League, is the second-tier competition in the Indian football league system, following the Indian Super League, which is India’s highest league competition. Since its inception in 2007, the I-League has been considered India’s top league, until the ISL took over in 2013. It was established with the aim of increasing the player pool for the Indian national team as well as exposing Indians to football.

AIFF is taking commendable steps to organize the league football system. As part of their vision, they have introduced a promotion-relegation system between the top leagues, with the I-League winner promoted to the ISL and the bottom two relegated to the I-League 2. The FIFA-AFC Delegation ensures the league system, with the winner of the I-League having the opportunity to play in the AFC Cup if they win their match against the winners of the India Super Cup. The I-League format is simple: each team plays each other twice as part of a two-round robin, and the team with the most points wins the title. Six foreign players are permitted in the squad, one of whom must be from an AFC member country, but only four can play in a match. The leagues currently have 12 teams, but with AIFF’s new strategic plan, the number of teams will increase to 14 by 2026.

AIFF is also promoting the league by enlisting Doordarshan and Eurosport India to telecast I-League matches, both of which have pledged a minimum of 2.5 million household reach on matchdays. It will also be available to watch on Discovery+. Having these channels is an encouraging sign for clubs and players alike, as they will gain more visibility. This will result in more sponsors, which will increase the league’s revenue and lead to better infrastructure and equipment.

Roundglass Punjab won the I-League title in 2022–23 and has been promoted to the ISL for the 2023–24 season. Other notable I-league clubs include Sreenidi Deccan, Gokulam Kerala, which has the most tiles, and TRAU, among others. Due to their poor performances, Mumbai City and Sudeva Delhi were relegated to I-League 2.