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.
Jagatjit Cotton & Textile Football Club is an Indian football academy based in Phagwara, Punjab. Founded in 1971, the club was sponsored by Jagatjit Cotton and Textile Mills under the leadership of Samir Thapar and participated in the National Football League which was later renamed I-League. They also participated in Punjab State Super Football League under licence from Punjab Football Association. The senior squad was disbanded in 2011.
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 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 Subroto Cup International Football Tournament is a prestigious international inter-school football tournament that is held in New Delhi, India. The tournament held annually since 1960, is named after the Indian Air Force Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee. It is the oldest national school football tournament in India and was instituted to promote and encourage the sport at the grassroots level in the country. Students from different countries across Asia participate in this tournament, making it one of the more noteworthy school-level football competitions.
Syed Sabir Pasha is a former Indian football player and technical director at All India Football Federation. During his playing days, Pasha played for Indian Bank in the National Football League from 1991 to 2007 and represented India between 1993 and 2001.
The Sub Junior National Football Championship, also known as Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy, is an Indian annual football tournament for under-13 teams representing states of India. The tournament was started in 1977 for boys under the age 16 years. The tournament was constituted at the Darjeeling meeting of the AIFF on 12 June 1976. AIFF donated the trophy in the memory of former President of Karnataka State Football Association, Mir Iqbal Hussain.
Gauhati Town Club is an Indian multi sports club based in Guwahati, Assam. Founded in 1906, the club had participated in the I-League 2, then second highest level football in India, for two seasons. It currently plays in the Guwahati Premier Football League, GSA A Division Football League and Youth League. The Gauhati Town Club Football Academy was set up to identify, train and nurture the local talents of northeast India at grassroots level. It has highly equipped infrastructure.
The Youth League is a system of youth football leagues that are managed, organised and controlled by the All India Football Federation. It consists of 3 age groups competitions: U17, U15 and U13.
The West Bengal football team, also known as IFA Bengal football team or earlier the Bengal football team, is an Indian football team representing West Bengal in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy. They were the second Indian team to participate in the continental top tier tournament – Asian Champion Club Tournament, by playing in the 1970 edition following Mysore in 1969.
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 Karnataka football team, also earlier the Mysore football team, is an Indian football team representing Karnataka in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy.
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.
Shabbir Ali is an Indian football manager and former player. He was awarded the Dhyan Chand Award, the highest award in Indian sports for lifetime achievement, given by Government of India in 2011. He is the first footballer to be named for the Dhyan Chand Award.
The history of football in India is a long and detailed one, as it was the national sport at one time. The impetus for this was to unify the Indian Army. There is evidence of football games being played in the army since at least 1949. India is home to some of the oldest football clubs in the world, and the world's third oldest competition, the Durand Cup. There was a time when football in India was highly celebrated. The Indian football outfit was called the "Brazilians of Asia".
Kalighat Milan Sangha Football Club is an Indian multi-sports club based in Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal. Its football team currently competes in the Premier Division of Calcutta Football League.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant Reserves and Academy is the reserve team and youth system of the Indian Super League side Mohun Bagan Super Giant. The U-21 and the reserve teams are generally referred to as last stage of progression for promotion of academy and young players into the senior squad. The reserve team formed of the various youth team players participates in the Calcutta Football League, along with the number of senior team players. Youth teams also participate in the Reliance Foundation Development League and the AIFF Elite League. The concept for an youth team was conceived and materialised under the leadership of Balai Das Chattopadhyay in 1944.
East Bengal Football Club Reserves and Academy is the reserve team and youth system of the Indian Super League side East Bengal FC. Reserves generally consist of younger players, but at times senior players also play, if recuperating from injury or not getting first team game time. Apart from the I-League 2 (formerly), the reserve side usually plays in the Calcutta Football League.
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 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 U-21 National Football Championship, also known as M. Dutta Ray Trophy, was an Indian football tournament held for players under 21 years of age. This trophy was named after Manindra Nath Dutta Ray, former president of the AIFF. This was introduced when Olympic football became a U-23 event in 1992 Summer Olympics at Barcelona in Spain. The 19th and last edition was held in Gurgaon and Faridabad in Haryana state from 15 to 28 February 2010. The Goa football team won the 2010 tournament by beating Haryana football team 1-0 in the final.
2023–24
