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.
All India Football Federation (AIFF) is the governing body of football, futsal and beach soccer in India. It is a member of FIFA, and is affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation and South Asian Football Federation.
The Calcutta Women's Football League, also known as the Kanyashree Cup, is a women's football league in the Indian state of West Bengal. Founded in 1993, it is the oldest women's football league in India and organised by Indian Football Association (IFA), the official football governing body in the state. The tournament is primarily participated by teams across Kolkata.
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 Calcutta Football League (CFL) is a ladder-based football competition in the Indian state of West Bengal, organised by Indian Football Association (WB) as part of the state leagues. It is the oldest football league in Asia.
India has a history of sports dating back to the Vedic period. Cricket is the most popular spectator sport; it generates the highest television viewership, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) being the most-followed league in the country. Football has also gained popularity, with the Indian Super League (ISL) being the highest level of domestic football, and the national team winning multiple gold medals at the Asian and South Asian Games. Additional football accomplishments include India having reached the Groupstage of the 1960 Olympics, qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup, and won the SAFF Championship. Other sports include kabaddi, badminton, tennis, and athletics, with kho-kho becoming the fourth-most viewed sport. India has also had success in field hockey, winning the World Cup and multiple medals in the Olympic Games. Sports such as golf, rugby, boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, motorsport, wrestling, and basketball are featured throughout the country.
The Assam State Premier League (ASPL) is the state-level football league in the Indian state of Assam. It is the highest state-level football league in Assam organised by the Assam Football Association, currently contested by 8 clubs.
Women's football in India is growing in popularity under All India Football Federation, despite the earlier long-term governing body's inability to provide sufficient funds for the game.
Eastern Railway Football Club is an Indian institutional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. The club was incorporated in 1882. Its widely known football team has mostly competed in CFL Premier Division B.
The Gujarat State Football Association is one of the 36 Indian state football associations that are affiliated to the All India Football Federation.
The Indian Women's League is the women's top tier professional football league in India. Founded in 2016, currently a total of 7 teams from across the country participate in the league.
ARA Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Founded in 2016, the club is nicknamed "Ahmedabad Alphas", and previously competed in I-League 2nd Division. ARA FC is the first professional team from Gujarat to compete in the nationwide league. The club also competes in Gujarat SFA Club Championship.
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 Football Delhi is one of the 37 Indian state football associations that are affiliated to the All India Football Federation. It is the governing body of football-related sports in Delhi, India. The Delhi football team is also administered by Football Delhi. It sends state teams for Santosh Trophy and Senior Women's National Football Championship.
The 2022–23 season was the 135th competitive association football season in India. The season began in August 2022 and ended in May 2023.
The 2021–22 Indian State Leagues season represented a series of highest state-level football tournaments played as qualifiers to determine teams for the 2022–23 season of I-League 2.
The Chennai Football League, sometimes simply known as CFA Senior Division League, and formerly the Madras Football League, is the group of state-level football leagues in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, including the top-level Senior Division. The League is organised by the Chennai Football Association (CFA), which is affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Football Association (TNFA), the official football governing body of the state.
The 2022–23 Indian State leagues season represented the fifth tier of the Indian football league system, a series of state-level football tournaments played as qualifiers to determine teams for the 2023–24 I-League 3.
The 2023 Gujarat SFA Club Championship is the second season of the top tier football league of Gujarat. The season started on 3 September 2022, and will end in 2023.
The Gujarat State Women's League is the top division of women's football league in the Indian state of Gujarat. The league is organised by the Gujarat State Football Association (GSFA), the official football governing body of the state.
