India is set to have two national football leagues from the 2017/18 season onwards after the Indian Super League (ISL) received recognition from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) today. According to a report from the Hindustan Times, the Asian football body has given the go-ahead to a proposal regarding the same by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
This turn of events thus further solidifies the ISL’s claim as the top league in India’s footballing calendar. The franchise-based league, which took off in 2014, will thus be having an official stature after being labelled as nothing but a “booster dose” to popularise Indian football in 2014.
However, a senior AIFF official, whilst speaking to Sportskeeda dismissed these claims as “mere speculation.”
In a press conference in 2014, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke, had earlier quipped, "For us (FIFA), I-League and not ISL is India's biggest football competition. ISL is a championship of eight franchises for two months. You cannot have two leagues in a country. Football doesn't work like that. I-League is most important for the development of football in India."
However, times have changed and a letter of approval from the AFC, signed by its General Secretary is believed to have reached the AIFF Headquarters, rubber stamping ISL’s status. The decision will come as a body blow to the I-League and the legacy clubs, who are set to meet with the representatives tomorrow.
The AFC have, though, stated that this is just a temporary situation which will need to change in the times to come but has not stipulated a timeframe for the same. FIFA are said to be in the knowledge of these happenings as well.
The spot in the 2019 AFC Champions League will, however, remain with the I-League champions according to the report. However, if they fail to qualify for the main round of the tournament, a place in the AFC Cup beckons.
The second place in the AFC Cup, which till the last season went to the winners of the Federation Cup will now go to the winner of the ISL, which from next season will feature 10 teams and be played out over five months.
The news comes as good news for bothe the ISL clubs and the new joinees, especially Bengaluru FC – the only team to have an ounce of success at the continental stage after reaching the final last season. They are, in fact, the only team remaining in the tournament this season after coming through the group stages which included their bitter rivals, Mohun Bagan.
