Association football is one of the three most-popular sports in India, the others being cricket and kabaddi. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) recognises the Indian Super League as the national football league of India. The Santosh Trophy is a knock-out competition among Indian states and government institutions.
The National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy, due to ties with FIFA, also known as the FIFA Santosh Trophy, or simply Santosh Trophy, is an inter-state national football competition contested by the state associations and government institutions under the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the sport's governing body in India. Before the launch of the first national club league, the National Football League in 1996, the Santosh Trophy was considered the top domestic tournament in India. Many players who have represented India internationally have played and gained honour while playing in the Santosh Trophy. The tournament is held every year with eligible teams who are divided into zones, must play in the qualifying round and can progress into the tournament proper. The current champions are Karnataka, who won their title after 54 years during the 2022–23 edition. This was the first trophy for Karnataka, which had previously won four times as the princely state of Mysore, after 1968-69.
The Sikkim football team is an Indian football team represents Sikkim in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy.
The Senior Women's National Football Championship, also known as Rajmata Jijabaisaheb Maharaj National Football Championship since 2024, is a women's football tournament contested by state associations and government institutions in India. The first edition was held in 1991 and is organized by the All India Football Federation to crown the national women's football champion each year. It is based on a league and knockout format.
The Kerala football team, also earlier the Travancore-Cochin football team, is an Indian state level football team representing Kerala in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy.
The Andhra Pradesh football team is an Indian football team representing Andhra Pradesh in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy.
The Uttarakhand football team is an Indian football team representing Uttarakhand in the Santosh Trophy.
The Meghalaya football team is an Indian football team representing Meghalaya in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy, which is the national football championship.
The Odisha football team, also earlier the Orissa football team, is an Indian football team representing the state of Odisha, India. The Football Association of Odisha, a state association of All India Football Federation, controls the team. The team competes in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy. Prior to 2014, the team competed as the Orissa.
The Mizoram football team is an Indian football team representing Mizoram in Indian state football competitions. They were the champions of the Santosh Trophy in the 2013–14 season.
The Haryana football team is a football team of India representing Haryana in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy.
The Chandigarh football team is an Indian football team representing Chandigarh in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy.
The Andaman and Nicobar football team is an Indian football team representing Andaman and Nicobar Islands in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy.
The Odisha women's football team, also earlier the Orissa women's football team, is an Indian women's football team representing the state of Odisha, India. The Football Association of Odisha, a state association of All India Football Federation, manages the team. The team competes as a member of the All India Football Federation, in the Senior Women's National Football Championship, the topmost women's knock-out league of Indian football.
The Indian football league system is the league structure of football club competitions in India. The highest level of men's club football competition is the Indian Super League. Indian Women's League, founded in 2016, is the highest level of women's football club competition in India.
The Arunachal Pradesh women's football team is an Indian women's football team representing Arunachal Pradesh in the Senior Women's National Football Championship. Their best performance at the Senior Women's National Football Championship was the quarter-final appearance at the 2019–20 edition.
The Junior Girl's National Football Championship, is an Indian football girls tournament held for under 19 players. The competition is held every year between the teams representing state associations of India under AIFF. The tournament was instituted by the AIFF in 2001 with the first edition held at Goa.
The Sub–Junior Girl's National Football Championship is an Indian football girls tournament held for under 17 players. The competition is held every year between the teams representing state associations of India under AIFF. The tournament was instituted by the AIFF in 2003 with the first edition held at Ooty in Tamil Nadu.
Gyamar Nikum is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for I-League club Inter Kashi, on loan from Indian Super League club Mumbai City.
The Ladakh football team is an Indian football team representing Ladakh in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy. It is governed by the Ladakh Football Association, affiliated to the AIFF. The team made its senior national debut in the 2022–23 Santosh Trophy edition.
