New Delhi [India], The 2023–24 Indian football season featured 16 different domestic competitions organized by the AIFF, including leagues, cups, national championships, and club and state tournaments for both men and women.
According to an AIFF media release, more than 11,000 players participated in the 2023–24 Indian football season, with 1,532 matches played.
I-League: The 2023–24 I-League season, featuring 13 teams, ran from October 28, 2023, to April 13, 2024, with Mohammedan Sporting Club dominantly emerging as champions, earning 52 points from 24 games. achieved promotion to the Indian Super League. Subject to meeting club licensing criteria. Srinidhi Deccan FC finished as runners-up for the second consecutive season, while Imphal teams TRAU FC and Neroca FC were relegated after finishing in the bottom two.Gokulam Kerala FC's Alex Sanchez was the top scorer with 19 goals.
I-League 2:
The I-League 2 was held in an all-India home and away format, with eight teams competing for two places in the next season's I-League. In the league, which runs from January 20, 2024, to April 27, 2024, Sporting Club Bengaluru were crowned champions and promoted to the second tier for the first time, while runners-up Dempo SC returned to the I-League after nine years. Mumbai teams Maharashtra Oranje FC and Mumbai Kenkray FC finished seventh and eighth respectively and were eliminated from I-League 2. SC Bengaluru's Thomyo L Shimre and United SC's Sahil Harijan were the top scorers with 11 goals each.I-League 3:
Held for the first time, I-League 3 was held as a qualifier tournament for I-League 2, with 25 clubs competing for three spots. The group stage was played in a single round-robin format at a centralized venue, with the five group winners qualifying for the I-League 3 play-offs in Goa. Sporting Club de Goa emerged as the inaugural I-League 3 champions and joined Dempo SC and Sporting Club Bengaluru in I-League 2.
Kalinga Super Cup: The Kalinga Super Cup was played in Bhubaneswar in January 2024 between 17 teams of the Indian Super League and I-League. In the final round, the 16 teams were divided into four groups of four each.The group winners (East Bengal FC, Jamshedpur FC, Mumbai City FC and Odisha FC) qualified for the semi-finals. With a 3-2 extra-time win over Odisha FC in Bhubaneswar, East Bengal became Kalinga Super Cup 2024 champions, ending their 12-year wait for the national trophy. The red and gold brigade thus also qualified for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League 2 preliminary round.
Indian Women's League:
For the first time in history, the IWL was held in a home-and-away format. Seven clubs competed for the title from December 8, 2023 to March 24, 2024, with Odisha FC ending Gokulam Kerala's dominance to clinch their first crown.Kalinga Warriors also qualified for the 2024–25 AFC Women's Champions League. Gokulam Kerala's Fazeela Ekvaput was the top scorer with 13 goals. Indian Women's League 2:
The Indian women's football pyramid was expanded into two tiers for the first time. 15 clubs battled it out in IWL 2 to earn two spots in the next season's IWL. The group stage was organized in a centralized format, with five teams in each of three groups.The final round, involving six teams, took place in Mapusa, where Sribhoomi FC emerged as champions. Runner-up Neeta FA will also join the Kolkata team in the 2024-25 IWL.
AIFF Youth League: Three youth leagues were organized by the AIFF in the 2023–24 season – Under-17 Youth League, Junior League and Sub-Junior League.
The AIFF Under-17 Youth League began in December 2023 and featured 54 teams. In the final round held in Goa, Manipur Classic Football Academy won the title by defeating Sudeva Delhi FC 2-1 in the final on May 25, 2024.The AIFF Junior League began in March 2024, with 49 teams competing for the title. Reliance Foundation Young Champs won the title after defeating Football 4 Change Academy on penalties in the final in Amritsar on May 25, 2024. The Sub Junior League started in February 2024 and 50 teams participated in it. Minerva Academy FC won the title by defeating Bengaluru FC 7-4 in the final round held in Bhubaneswar on May 24, 2024.
Santosh Trophy for the 77th Senior Men's National Football Championship:
The final round of the 77th edition of the Santosh Trophy was held for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh, where Services won the title by defeating Goa 1-0 in the final at Yupiya on March 9, 2024.A total of 35 teams participated in the group stage held at centralized venues. In the final round, the 12 teams were divided into two groups of six, with the top four advancing to the quarter-finals. Services won their seventh title. Phizam Sanathoi Meitei of Manipur was the top scorer with 11 goals. Rajmata Jijabai Trophy for the 28th Senior Women's National Football Championship:
Manipur regained their dominance in the domestic women's football scene as they won a record-extending 22nd Rajmata Jijabai Trophy by defeating Haryana 2-0 in the final in Kolkata on May 15, 2024.Similar to the Santosh Trophy, the group stage was held in centralized venues and the 12 teams were divided into two groups of six in the final round. The top two from each group advanced to the semi-finals. Yumnam Kamla Devi of Railways and Ngangom Bala Devi of Manipur were joint top scorers with 18 goals each.
Swami Vivekananda Men's Under-20 National Football Championship: Men's NFC was held for the U20 age group for the first time. Delhi emerged champion among the 32 teams participating in the 40-day tournament, scheduled to run from April 12, 2024, to May 20, 2024, held in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh.The capital team ended its 59-year national title reign by defeating Karnataka on penalties in the final. Dry.
Junior Boys National Football Championship for Dr. BC Roy Trophy:
The Junior Boys NFC for the Dr. BC Roy Trophy was organized in two tiers. Tier 1 was held in Bhubaneswar, where Uttar Pradesh was crowned champion out of 16 teams. 20 teams competed in Tier 2, with Delhi winning the title in Jabalpur.Sub Junior Boys National Football Championship:
In Tier 1 of the Sub Junior Boys NFC held in Malda and Berhampur, Mizoram defeated Manipur to lift the trophy, while Bihar defeated Delhi for the Tier 2 title in Ananthapuram.
Junior Girls National Football Championship: The Junior Girls NFC had 16 teams each in both tiers. Manipur defeated Tamil Nadu in the Tier 1 final in Bhubaneswar, while Goa defeated Andhra Pradesh for the Tier 2 title in Jaipur.
Sub Junior Girls National Football Championship:
The Sub Junior Girls NFC consisted of 16 teams in Tier 1 and 12 teams in Tier 2. Jharkhand won over West Bengal in the Tier 1 final in Amritsar, while Karnataka defeated Delhi to clinch the Tier 2 title in Belgaum.
According to an AIFF media release, more than 11,000 players participated in the 2023–24 Indian football season, with 1,532 matches played.
I-League: The 2023–24 I-League season, featuring 13 teams, ran from October 28, 2023, to April 13, 2024, with Mohammedan Sporting Club dominantly emerging as champions, earning 52 points from 24 games. achieved promotion to the Indian Super League. Subject to meeting club licensing criteria. Srinidhi Deccan FC finished as runners-up for the second consecutive season, while Imphal teams TRAU FC and Neroca FC were relegated after finishing in the bottom two.Gokulam Kerala FC's Alex Sanchez was the top scorer with 19 goals.
I-League 2:
The I-League 2 was held in an all-India home and away format, with eight teams competing for two places in the next season's I-League. In the league, which runs from January 20, 2024, to April 27, 2024, Sporting Club Bengaluru were crowned champions and promoted to the second tier for the first time, while runners-up Dempo SC returned to the I-League after nine years. Mumbai teams Maharashtra Oranje FC and Mumbai Kenkray FC finished seventh and eighth respectively and were eliminated from I-League 2. SC Bengaluru's Thomyo L Shimre and United SC's Sahil Harijan were the top scorers with 11 goals each.I-League 3:
Held for the first time, I-League 3 was held as a qualifier tournament for I-League 2, with 25 clubs competing for three spots. The group stage was played in a single round-robin format at a centralized venue, with the five group winners qualifying for the I-League 3 play-offs in Goa. Sporting Club de Goa emerged as the inaugural I-League 3 champions and joined Dempo SC and Sporting Club Bengaluru in I-League 2.
Kalinga Super Cup: The Kalinga Super Cup was played in Bhubaneswar in January 2024 between 17 teams of the Indian Super League and I-League. In the final round, the 16 teams were divided into four groups of four each.The group winners (East Bengal FC, Jamshedpur FC, Mumbai City FC and Odisha FC) qualified for the semi-finals. With a 3-2 extra-time win over Odisha FC in Bhubaneswar, East Bengal became Kalinga Super Cup 2024 champions, ending their 12-year wait for the national trophy. The red and gold brigade thus also qualified for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League 2 preliminary round.
Indian Women's League:
For the first time in history, the IWL was held in a home-and-away format. Seven clubs competed for the title from December 8, 2023 to March 24, 2024, with Odisha FC ending Gokulam Kerala's dominance to clinch their first crown.Kalinga Warriors also qualified for the 2024–25 AFC Women's Champions League. Gokulam Kerala's Fazeela Ekvaput was the top scorer with 13 goals. Indian Women's League 2:
The Indian women's football pyramid was expanded into two tiers for the first time. 15 clubs battled it out in IWL 2 to earn two spots in the next season's IWL. The group stage was organized in a centralized format, with five teams in each of three groups.The final round, involving six teams, took place in Mapusa, where Sribhoomi FC emerged as champions. Runner-up Neeta FA will also join the Kolkata team in the 2024-25 IWL.
AIFF Youth League: Three youth leagues were organized by the AIFF in the 2023–24 season – Under-17 Youth League, Junior League and Sub-Junior League.
The AIFF Under-17 Youth League began in December 2023 and featured 54 teams. In the final round held in Goa, Manipur Classic Football Academy won the title by defeating Sudeva Delhi FC 2-1 in the final on May 25, 2024.The AIFF Junior League began in March 2024, with 49 teams competing for the title. Reliance Foundation Young Champs won the title after defeating Football 4 Change Academy on penalties in the final in Amritsar on May 25, 2024. The Sub Junior League started in February 2024 and 50 teams participated in it. Minerva Academy FC won the title by defeating Bengaluru FC 7-4 in the final round held in Bhubaneswar on May 24, 2024.
Santosh Trophy for the 77th Senior Men's National Football Championship:
The final round of the 77th edition of the Santosh Trophy was held for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh, where Services won the title by defeating Goa 1-0 in the final at Yupiya on March 9, 2024.A total of 35 teams participated in the group stage held at centralized venues. In the final round, the 12 teams were divided into two groups of six, with the top four advancing to the quarter-finals. Services won their seventh title. Phizam Sanathoi Meitei of Manipur was the top scorer with 11 goals. Rajmata Jijabai Trophy for the 28th Senior Women's National Football Championship:
Manipur regained their dominance in the domestic women's football scene as they won a record-extending 22nd Rajmata Jijabai Trophy by defeating Haryana 2-0 in the final in Kolkata on May 15, 2024.Similar to the Santosh Trophy, the group stage was held in centralized venues and the 12 teams were divided into two groups of six in the final round. The top two from each group advanced to the semi-finals. Yumnam Kamla Devi of Railways and Ngangom Bala Devi of Manipur were joint top scorers with 18 goals each.
Swami Vivekananda Men's Under-20 National Football Championship: Men's NFC was held for the U20 age group for the first time. Delhi emerged champion among the 32 teams participating in the 40-day tournament, scheduled to run from April 12, 2024, to May 20, 2024, held in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh.The capital team ended its 59-year national title reign by defeating Karnataka on penalties in the final. Dry.
Junior Boys National Football Championship for Dr. BC Roy Trophy:
The Junior Boys NFC for the Dr. BC Roy Trophy was organized in two tiers. Tier 1 was held in Bhubaneswar, where Uttar Pradesh was crowned champion out of 16 teams. 20 teams competed in Tier 2, with Delhi winning the title in Jabalpur.Sub Junior Boys National Football Championship:
In Tier 1 of the Sub Junior Boys NFC held in Malda and Berhampur, Mizoram defeated Manipur to lift the trophy, while Bihar defeated Delhi for the Tier 2 title in Ananthapuram.
Junior Girls National Football Championship: The Junior Girls NFC had 16 teams each in both tiers. Manipur defeated Tamil Nadu in the Tier 1 final in Bhubaneswar, while Goa defeated Andhra Pradesh for the Tier 2 title in Jaipur.
Sub Junior Girls National Football Championship:
The Sub Junior Girls NFC consisted of 16 teams in Tier 1 and 12 teams in Tier 2. Jharkhand won over West Bengal in the Tier 1 final in Amritsar, while Karnataka defeated Delhi to clinch the Tier 2 title in Belgaum.
