I-League 2

History

I-League 2nd Division was introduced during the 2008 season, with first game played on 25 March between Mohammedan Sporting and Amity United.

That season saw Mohammedan Sporting, Mumbai FC, Vasco SC and Chirag United promoted to the I-League. The next season saw Pune FC, Shillong Lajong, Viva Kerala and Salgaocar getting promoted.

Since 2010, only top 2 teams were promoted to the I-League. ONGC FC and HAL SC in that year, in 2011 Shillong Lajong and Sporting Clube de Goa, with Lajong being promoted for the second time. In 2012, ONGC and United Sikkim were promoted for the upcoming season. The 2013 saw Rangdajied United FC and Mohammedan qualifying for the I-League.

In 2014, only one team got promoted from the 2nd Division, and similarly only one team got relegated from 2013–14 season.

In 2016, again only one team was promoted from the 2nd division (Aizawl F.C.), and only one was relegated from the I-League (Dempo).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional final round format was scrapped in 2020. It was decided that the league will be rescheduled into a new format and all non-reserve teams from the preliminary stage will automatically progress to this round. It was officially named as I-League Qualifiers. After making of I-League as second division of Indian football, the AIFF decided to rename 2nd Division to I-league 2.

Competition format

2008–2015

Previously, the league was formatted as a neutral venue competition with teams split into groups in which all the groups play in one stadium each. The final round is contested in a double round-robin format, after which the top two teams get promoted to the I-League.

2015–2017

The I-League core committee approved the plans for the 2015–2016 I-League 2nd division matches to be played on a home and away basis. The preliminary rounds will be played as the conference system with the teams being divided into Eastern and Western conferences. Top 3 teams from each conference will qualify for the final round of the 2015–2016 season of 2nd division I-League.

To widen the football map of the country and to bolster the football structure, I-League committee decide to launch the 2nd division qualifier for 2016–2017 season. Participants from all the state associations would be invited to take part in 2nd division 2016–17 qualifiers. The state associations need to nominate two teams with best results, apart from the teams who would compete in Hero I-League and 2nd division league, from the state leagues to compete in the 2nd division qualifiers. The teams will fight it out amongst themselves in the zonal round followed by the final round. Eventually top two teams from the final round will get a nod to the 2nd division, provided that they fulfill the club licensing requirements in the due time.

2017–2018

The format was further altered from 2017–2018 season, the league was divided in two stages: the Preliminary and the Final. The tournament will also feature reserve teams of Indian Super League clubs. In the preliminary stage, 18 teams are divided into three groups where all matches would be played on a home and away basis. The winners of each group plus the best second-placed team would qualify for the final round. However, if reserve teams of ISL clubs finishes as winners or runners-up in any group, the position is passed on onto the next non-ISL team. The final round will be played at a central venue, the winners of which would be promoted to the next tier of Indian Football.

2018–2019

Sixteen teams were allowed to participate in this season by the league committee.

2021

A new format was introduced named as I-league qualifiers. 10 teams promoted from state leagues battled for I-league qualification.

2022–2023

In a meeting held on 16 December 2022, the AIFF league committee has recommended that states that have conducted their regional leagues in previous season nominate clubs for the Hero I-League 2, with six reserve teams of the Hero ISL also joining them. A pre-tournament qualifier was held for the teams from states that have not conducted their leagues in 2021–22, from which the top two teams gained entry into the Hero I-League 2, bringing the total number of clubs to 20.

These 20 teams are divided into the four groups of five and play each other in a round-robin home and away format. The group winners, along with the best second-placed team, play in the final round, a single-leg round robin format competition.

Clubs

All-time clubs

**

Clubs promoted/relegated to I-League 2

Clubs promoted/relegated from I-League 2

Champions

Performance by clubs

Sponsorship and media coverage

Sponsorship

From 2008 to 2011 the league was sponsored by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and was named the ONGC I-League 2nd Division. ONGC was also the title sponsor of the I-League. In October 2011 ONGC was dropped as a sponsor.

Broadcasters

Winning coaches

Top scorers

Awards

Prize money

As updated on 19 May 2023:

References

References

1. "Hero I-League Qualifiers".
2. Mergulhao, Marcus. (27 September 2022). "AIFF set to ban foreign players from lower leagues".
3. (21 May 2022). "Shillong Lajong return to Hero I-League after four years". [[All India Football Federation]].
4. Ganapathy, Vivek. (21 May 2022). "Shillong Lajong Promoted to I-League After Four Years With 2–1 Win Over Bengaluru United". News18 Sports.
5. [https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ileague_2nd_division_2016-17/news.html I-League 2nd Division 2016-17] {{Webarchive. link. (6 August 2021 ''kolkatafootball.com''. Retrieved 6 August 2021)
6. "Hero I-League Qualifier 2020 to get underway on October 8 {{!}} Hero I-League".
7. "AIFF League Committee meeting chaired online by Lalnghinglova Hmar".
8. Abhishek Jain. (26 August 2015). "Change in format for I-League 2nd division".
9. "Hero I-League | Football Calendar Will be Bolstered with Second Division League Qualifiers".
10. (19 February 2018). "AIFF LEAGUE COMMITTEE MEETS AT FOOTBALL HOUSE".
11. (7 December 2018). "LEAGUE COMMITTEE MEETS AT AIFF HQ IN NEW DELHI". AIFF.
12. "AIFF League Committee meeting chaired online by Lalnghinglova Hmar".
13. (26 September 2016). "I-League 2016/17: Aizawl FC reinstated after getting relegated last season, Salgaocar FC opt out". sportskeeda.com.
14. (20 September 2018). "AIFF reinstates Churchill Brothers in I-League".
15. (29 April 2021). "AIFF likely to keep relegation on hold in I-League".
16. (27 September 2022). "AIFF set to ban foreign players from lower leagues".
17. (2025-05-27). "AIFF appeal committee issues stay order on relegation in I-League".
18. Hero iLeague. [http://www.kolkatasports.com/ileague-2nd-division-2015.php "iLeague 2nd Division"], Retrieved on November 14, 2015.