National Football League (India)

The National Football League (NFL) was a league competition featuring football clubs from India. Founded in 1996 through the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the NFL was the first football league in India to be organized on a national scale. The AIFF then added a second division in 1997 and a third division was soon added by the governing body in 2006. The NFL was eventually replaced by the I-League for the 2007–08 season in order to professionalize the sport in India.

For other uses, see NFL (disambiguation).

National Football League
Founded1996
Folded2007
(reformed as the I-League)
Country India
ConfederationAFC
DivisionsNFL Premier Division (1996–2007)
NFL Second Division (1997–2007)
NFL Third Division (2006–2007)
Number of teams10–12
Level on pyramid1–3
Domestic cup(s)Federation Cup
Durand Cup
Super Cup
Last championsDempo (2nd title)
(2006–07)
Most championshipsMohun Bagan
East Bengal
(3 titles each)

As well as league competition, clubs in the NFL would also participate in the two main domestic cup competitions, the Federation Cup and Durand Cup. The NFL champions would also participate in the Super Cup against the Federation Cup champion. NFL players could also participate in the state-based Santosh Trophy competition.

History

The National Football League was founded by the All India Football Federation, the governing body for football in India, in 1996.[1] The aim of the league was to promote the development of the sport in the country. JCT Mills of Punjab won the inaugural season of the league. Then India international Bhaichung Bhutia was the league's top goalscorer with 14 goals.[2] To supplement the Premier Division, the AIFF began the second division of the NFL in 1997.[3] Tollygunge Agragami of Kolkata were the inaugural second division champions.[3]

In 2001, in order to help promote the development of young Indian players, the AIFF launched the under-19 league.[4] The inaugural season of the under-19 league would see East Bengal crowned champions.[4] Only three seasons of the under-19 league were held in 2001, 2002–03, and 2004–05.[4] The AIFF also fielded the India under-16 side in the league when held.[4]

In July 2003, East Bengal made history for the NFL when they won the 2003 ASEAN Club Championship, becoming the first Indian side to win an Asian level competition.[5] Prior to the 2006–07 season, the AIFF launched a third division, which was essentially just the qualifiers for the second division.[6] After the season concluded, the AIFF announced that the NFL would be disbanded and replaced with a new fully-professional league, the I-League for the 2007–08 season.[7] Dempo finished as the final NFL champions.[1]

Clubs

Played in NFL Premier Division

Champions

Premier Division
Season Champions
(number of titles)		 Runners-up Third place Leading goalscorer(s) Goals
1996–97 JCT Churchill Brothers East Bengal Bhaichung Bhutia (JCT) 14
1997–98 Mohun Bagan East Bengal Salgaocar Raman Vijayan (Kochin) 10
1998–99 Salgaocar East Bengal Churchill Brothers Philip Mensah (Churchill Brothers) 11
1999–2000 Mohun Bagan (2) Churchill Brothers Salgaocar Igor Shkvyrin (Mohun Bagan) 11
2000–01 East Bengal Mohun Bagan Churchill Brothers José Ramirez Barreto (Mohun Bagan) 14
2001–02 Mohun Bagan (3) Churchill Brothers Vasco Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers) 18
2002–03 East Bengal (2) Salgaocar Vasco Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers) 21
2003–04 East Bengal (3) Dempo Mahindra United Cristiano Júnior (East Bengal) 15
2004–05 Dempo Sporting Goa East Bengal Dudu Omagbemi (Sporting Goa) 21
2005–06 Mahindra United East Bengal Mohun Bagan Ranti Martins (Dempo) 13
2006–07 Dempo (2) JCT Mahindra United Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers) 18

Second Division
Season Champions
(number of titles)		 Runners-up
1997–98 Tollygunge Agragami Indian Telephone Industries
1998–99 State Bank of Travancore Border Security Force
1999–2000 Air India Vasco
2000–01 HAL Punjab Police
2001–02 Dempo Indian Bank
2002–03 Sporting Goa Mohammedan
2003–04 State Bank of Travancore (2) Fransa-Pax
2004–05 Mohammedan Air India
2005–06 Tata FA Churchill Brothers
2006–07 Salgaocar Viva Kerala

Third Division
Season North Zone East Zone South Zone North-East Zone
2006–07 Jammu & Kashmir Bank South East Central Railway Viva Kerala Lajong

See also

References
  1. "National Football League". indianfootball.de.
  2. "NFL Champions and Goalscorers". Rediff.
  3. "NFL Division 2". indianfootball.de.
  4. "NFL Under-19". indianfootball.de.
  5. "East Bengal lift ASEAN Cup". Rediff. 26 July 2003. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  6. "NFL Division Three". RSSSF.
  7. "AIFF's I-League to have 10 teams". Rediff. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
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