FAO League

Last updated

FAO League
Organising body Football Association of Odisha (FAO)
Founded2010;15 years ago (2010)
CountryIndia
Divisions 2
(FAO First Division,
FAO Second Division)
Number of clubs24 (total in all 3 groups)
Level on pyramid 5–8
Promotion to I-League 3
Relegation toVarious
Domestic cup(s) Kalinga Cup
League cup(s) FAO Super Cup
Current championsSunrise Club
(7th title)
Most championshipsSunrise Club
(7 titles)
Broadcaster(s) FA Odisha
SportsKPI
(YouTube, Facebook)
Current: 2024 FAO League

The Football Association of Odisha League, (also known as the MGM FAO League for sponsorship reasons) often abbreviated to the FAO League, is the top state football league of the Indian state of Odisha, organised by Football Association of Odisha (FAO) in association with Department of Sports & Youth Services (DSYS), Government of Odisha. [1] [2]

Contents

History

The major domestic league in the state held at Cuttack was known as Cuttack Football League until 2010 when FAO decided to restructure the league as FAO league. It continues as the top tier competition for Cuttack based football clubs. [3]

The FAO League was brought up as Siddhartha Odisha First Division League in 2010 as Odisha's premier level football league. FAO introduced the league system to provide the footballing talents of the state a platform to showcase their abilities. The league system continued with the same format for seven years, until its revamp in 2018. Since the inception of the FAO League, a total of five clubs have been crowned champions. Sunrise have won the most titles in league history, being crowned champions four times. Odisha Police have won the league twice whereas East Coast Railway, Sports Odisha, Radha Gobinda Club, and Radha Raman Club have each won it once.

In a total competition revamp, FAO League was converted to a threeptier first division highest level footballing league of the state in 2018. The First Division League currently has three tiers, Diamond, Gold and Silver leagues, followed by the Second Division. [4] [5]

League structure

FAO League
TierDivision
I
(5 on Indian Football Pyramid)
FAO Diamond League
↑promote (to I-League 3) ↓relegate
II
(6 on Indian Football Pyramid)
FAO Gold League
↑promote ↓relegate
III
(7 on Indian Football Pyramid)
FAO Silver League
↑promote ↓relegate
IV
(8 on Indian Football Pyramid)
FAO Second Division League
↑promote

Venues

India location map 3.png
Venues of the FAO Football League

Bhubaneswar

Cuttack

Diamond League

FAO Diamond League
Organising body Football Association of Odisha (FAO)
Founded2010;15 years ago (2010)
CountryIndia
Number of clubs8
Level on pyramid 4
Promotion to I-League 2nd Division
Relegation to FAO Gold League
Domestic cup(s) Kalinga Cup
League cup(s) FAO Super Cup
Current championsSunrise Club
(7th title)
Most championshipsSunrise Club
(7 titles)

2024 clubs

Champions

SeasonWinnerRunners–up
2010 East Coast Railway Rising Student's Club
2011 Odisha Police Radha Gobinda Club
2012 Odisha Police Jobra Durga Club
2013Radha Gobinda ClubJobra Durga Club
2014Sunrise Club East Coast Railway
2015Sunrise Club Rising Student's Club
2016Sunrise Club East Coast Railway
2017Radha Raman ClubSunrise Club
2018 Sunrise Club Odisha Police
2019 Sports Odisha Rising Students Club
2022 Sunrise Club, Radha Raman Club (joint-champions)
2023 Sunrise Club Sports Odisha
2024 Sunrise ClubRovers Club

Championships by team

ClubTitlesRunners-UpWinning Seasons
Sunrise Club712014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024
Odisha Police 212011, 2012
Radha Raman Club202017, 2022
East Coast Railway 122010
Radha Gobinda Club112013
Sports Odisha 11 2019
Rising Student Club 03
Jobra Durga Club02

Gold League

FAO Gold League
Organising body Football Association of Odisha (FAO)
CountryIndia
Number of clubs7
Level on pyramid 5
Promotion to FAO Diamond League
Relegation to FAO Silver League
League cup(s) FAO Super Cup

2024 clubs

  • Chand Club
  • East Coast Railway
  • Independent Club
  • Jay Durga Club
  • Kishore Club
  • Mangala Club
  • Odisha Police

Winners

SeasonChampionRunners-up
2018 FAO XI Eleven Gun Club
2019 Rovers ClubRising Star Club
2022 Bidanasi ClubRising Star Club
2023 Rising Star ClubKishore Club
2024 Kishore ClubMangala Club

Silver League

FAO Silver League
Organising body Football Association of Odisha (FAO)
CountryIndia
Number of clubs8
Level on pyramid 6
Promotion to FAO Gold League
Relegation to FAO League 2nd Division
League cup(s) FAO Super Cup

2024 clubs

Silver A

  • Azad Hind Club
  • Junior Gallant Club
  • Radha Gobinda Club
  • Sunshine Club

Silver B

  • Chauliaganj Club
  • Eleven Gun Club
  • SAI STC Cuttack
  • Town Club

Winners

SeasonWinnerRunners–up
2018 Sunshine Club SAI-STC
2019 SAI-STC Club-n-Club
2022 Kishore ClubTown Club
2023 Independent ClubSunshine Club
2024 Junior Gallant ClubChauliaganj Club

FAO Second Division League

SeasonChampionRunners-up
2010Kishore ClubTown Club
2011Yuva Vandhu Cultural Group (YVCG)Lalbagh Club
2012Town ClubRoyal Club
2013Jay Bharat Cultural ClubUday Club
2014Lalbagh ClubRoyal Club
2016Club 'N' ClubRoyal Club
2017Chauliaganj ClubRoyal Club
2022Eleven Gun ClubUday Club
2023Junior Gallant ClubYAFC Choudwar Club
2024YAFC Choudwar ClubUday Club

See also

References

  1. "FAO First Division League". Orisports. 28 August 2011. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  2. "FAO First Division League 2022". Orisports. 3 July 2022. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  3. "Schedule". Orisports. 2011. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  4. "FAO to start Super Cup, Revamp FAO League". Orisports. 9 May 2018. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  5. "FAO restructures domestic football". Football Association of Odisha . 10 May 2018. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2018.