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National Football League (India)
Former nationwide league competition featuring association football clubs from India
Former nationwide league competition featuring association football clubs from India
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| image | [[File:National Football League (India).png | 260px]] |
| country | India | |
| confed | AFC | |
| founded | ||
| folded | (reformed as the I-League) | |
| teams | 12 (from 1996–97 to 2003–04) | |
| 10 (from 2004–05 to 2006–07) | ||
| levels | 1 | |
| domest_cup | Federation Cup | |
| Indian Super Cup | ||
| champions | Dempo (2nd title) | |
| season | 2006–07 | |
| most successful club | Mohun Bagan | |
| East Bengal | ||
| (3 titles each) | ||
| relegation | National Football League Second Division | |
| confed_cup | AFC Champions League | |
| AFC Cup |
10 (from 2004–05 to 2006–07) Indian Super Cup East Bengal (3 titles each) AFC Cup
The National Football League (NFL) was the men's highest level of the Indian football league system from 1996 to 2007. Founded by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 1996, 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.
As well as league competition, clubs in the NFL would also participate in the main domestic cup competition, the Federation Cup. The NFL champions would also participate in the Indian 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. 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 Indian international Bhaichung Bhutia was the league's top goalscorer with 14 goals. To supplement the Premier Division, the AIFF began the second division of the NFL in 1997. Tollygunge Agragami of Kolkata were the inaugural second division champions.
In 2001, in order to help promote the development of young Indian players, the AIFF launched the under-19 league. The inaugural season of the under-19 league would see East Bengal crowned champions. Only three seasons of the under-19 league were held in 2001, 2002–03, and 2004–05. The AIFF also fielded the India under-16 side in the league when held.
Prior to the 2006–07 season, the AIFF launched a third division, which was essentially just the qualifiers for the second division. 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. Dempo finished as the final NFL champions.
Sponsorship
| Period | Sponsor | Industry | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–1998 | Netherlands Philips | Conglomerate | Philips National Football League |
| 1998–2001 | USA The Coca-Cola Company | Beverage | Coca-Cola National Football League |
| 2001–2002 | IND Tata Group | Conglomerate | Tata National Football League |
| 2002–2003 | IND ONGC, | Public sector enterprises | Oil PSU National Football League |
| 2003–2004 | USA The Coca-Cola Company | Beverage | Coca-Cola National Football League |
| 2004–2007 | IND ONGC | Petroleum | ONGC National Football League |
| (2004–2005) |
Clubs
Played in NFL Premier Division
- Air India
- Border Security Force
- Churchill Brothers
- Dempo
- East Bengal
- Fransa-Pax
- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
- Indian Bank
- Indian Telephone Industries
- JCT Mills
- Kerala Police
- Kochin
- Mahindra United
- Mohammedan
- Mohun Bagan
- Punjab Police
- Salgaocar
- Sporting Goa
- State Bank of Travancore
- Tollygunge Agragami
- Vasco
Champions
Premier Division
| Season | Champions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (number of titles) | Runners-up | Third place | Leading goalscorer(s) | Goals | |
| 1996–97 | JCT Mills | Churchill Brothers | East Bengal | IND Bhaichung Bhutia (JCT Mills) | 14 |
| 1997–98 | Mohun Bagan | East Bengal | Salgaocar | IND Raman Vijayan (Kochin) | 10 |
| 1998–99 | Salgaocar | East Bengal | Churchill Brothers | GHA Philip Mensah (Churchill Brothers) | 11 |
| 1999–00 | Mohun Bagan (2) | Churchill Brothers | Salgaocar | UZB Igor Shkvyrin (Mohun Bagan) | 11 |
| 2000–01 | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan | Churchill Brothers | BRA José Ramirez Barreto (Mohun Bagan) | 14 |
| 2001–02 | Mohun Bagan (3) | Churchill Brothers | Vasco | GHA Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers) | 18 |
| 2002–03 | East Bengal (2) | Salgaocar | Vasco | GHA Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers) | 21 |
| 2003–04 | East Bengal (3) | Dempo | Mahindra United | BRA Cristiano Júnior (East Bengal) | 15 |
| 2004–05 | Dempo | Sporting Goa | East Bengal | NGA Dudu Omagbemi (Sporting Goa) | 21 |
| 2005–06 | Mahindra United | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan | NGA Ranti Martins (Dempo) | 13 |
| 2006–07 | Dempo (2) | JCT Mills | Mahindra United | NGA Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers) | 18 |
Second Division
Main article: National Football League Second Division (India)
Third Division
Main article: National Football League Third Division (India)
References
References
- "History of I-League". AIFF.
- Khan, M. M. Jafar. (8 March 2016). "Departments' League — A solution to many problems". Mathrubhumi.
- "National Football League".
- "NFL Champions and Goalscorers".
- "NFL Division 2".
- "NFL Under-19".
- "NFL Division Three".
- (21 November 2007). "AIFF's I-League to have 10 teams". Rediff.
- Atsushi Fujioka & Arunava Chaudhuri. "India — List of National Champions".
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