List of Indian football champions

Last updated

Indian Football League (1st tier)
National Football League (1996–2007)
I-League (2007–2017)
I-League & Indian Super League (2017–2022)
Indian Super League (2022–present)
Country
Flag of India.svg India
Founded
1996
Number of teams (from 2024–25)
13
Current champions
Mohun Bagan SG
Most successful club
Mohun Bagan SG (7 titles) [1]

The Indian football champions are the winners of the highest league in Indian men's football, which is currently the Indian Super League.

Contents

Though Indian football tournaments dates back to the eighteenth century, a proper league system, the National Football League (NFL) was established in 1996, playing it first season in 1996–97. Its champions were considered the national champions. After the 2006–07 season, the NFL was rebranded, becoming the I-League with its champions continuing to be considered national champions until 2017, when the Indian Super League (ISL) became the country's joint premier football league. In 2022, ISL became the only top tier football league of the country. ISL playoffs winners were considered as ISL champions until 2021–22 season. Later from 2022–23 season, ISL champions designation was awarded to the table toppers.

There are 12 clubs who have won either the National Football League or the I-League and championships and six clubs who have won the Indian Super League since the league became the joint top division in India. JCT were the first club to have won any championship, winning the 1996–97 NFL. Mohun Bagan SG are the most successful club, winning championships seven times, NFL three times, I-League twice and ISL twice.

History

The first Indian football league, the National Football League (NFL) was an association football league competition in India which was organised into three divisions. The Premier Division of the league was first introduced in 1996, though the country already had a long history in the sport thanks to the likes of the IFA Shield and the Federation Cup. The league though is now transformed into the I-League and continues with that name. The change was supposed to bring more popularity to Indian Football. The first league season of I-League consisted of eight teams from the NFL plus two promoted teams from the former Division Two.

The 1996–97 Indian National Football League was the first season of the NFL and ended with JCT Mills FC being crowned champions. The NFL era though saw Kolkata clubs East Bengal and Mohun Bagan had the most championships with three respectively. The I-League era is different though as most of the champions of the league have come from Goa.

Currently, the team with the most championships in I-League is Dempo who have won three championships in the league.

In 2014, a new football league named Indian Super League has started. In its first three seasons it was running without recognition from the AFC. Before 2017–18 season, ISL got recognition from Asian Football Confederation (AFC). In July 2017, it was proposed by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) that the Indian Super League champion be granted a spot in the AFC Cup, Asia's second-tier club competition. [2] On 25 July 2017, the AFC approved the AIFF's proposal. Thus, from the 2017–18 season, the Indian Super League champions were allowed to participate in the AFC Cup from the qualification stages of the competition. [2] Meanwhile, India's spot in the AFC Champions League, Asia's top club competition, was still kept by the I-League; [2] thus two leagues were parallelly running in the country. In October 2019, a roadmap for development of league in India was proposed. All stakeholders accepted the proposal where it was announced that ISL premiers would now be entitled to the AFC Champions League, starting from 2021 edition and the I-League champion will get to play the AFC Cup. [3] From 2022–23 season the AFC Cup slot from I-League has been transferred to Super Cup and ISL became the only top tier League in India.

National League champions

National league champion determination
Season(s)Format
1996–2007National Football League first placed team
2007–2017I-League first placed team
2017–2022Both I-League first placed team and Indian Super League playoffs winners
2022–presentIndian Super League first placed team

    National Football League (1996–2007)

    SeasonChampions
    (number of titles)    		Runners-upThird placeWinning coachTop scorers
    (club)    		Goals
    1996–97 JCT Churchill Brothers East Bengal Flag of India.svg Sukhwinder Singh Flag of India.svg Bhaichung Bhutia (JCT)14
    1997–98 Mohun Bagan East Bengal Salgaocar Flag of India.svg T. K. Chathunni Flag of India.svg Raman Vijayan (Kochin)10
    1998–99 Salgaocar East Bengal Churchill Brothers Flag of India.svg Shabbir Ali Flag of Ghana.svg Philip Mensah (Churchill Brothers)11
    1999–2000 Mohun Bagan (2) Churchill Brothers Salgaocar Flag of India.svg Subrata Bhattacharya Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Igor Shkvyrin (Mohun Bagan)11
    2000–01 East Bengal Mohun Bagan Churchill Brothers Flag of India.svg Monoranjan Bhattacharya Flag of Brazil.svg José Ramirez Barreto (Mohun Bagan)14
    2001–02 Mohun Bagan (3) Churchill Brothers Vasco Flag of India.svg Subrata Bhattacharya Flag of Ghana.svg Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers)18
    2002–03 East Bengal (2) Salgaocar Vasco Flag of India.svg Subhash Bhowmick Flag of Ghana.svg Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers)21
    2003–04 East Bengal (3) Dempo Mahindra United Flag of India.svg Subhash Bhowmick Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano Júnior (East Bengal)15
    2004–05 Dempo Sporting Goa East Bengal Flag of India.svg Armando Colaco Flag of Nigeria.svg Dudu Omagbemi (Sporting Goa)21
    2005–06 Mahindra United East Bengal Mohun Bagan Flag of India.svg Derrick Pereira Flag of Nigeria.svg Ranti Martins (Dempo)13
    2006–07 Dempo (2) JCT Mahindra United Flag of India.svg Armando Colaco Flag of Nigeria.svg Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers)18

    I-League (2007–2017)

    SeasonChampions
    (number of titles)    		Runners-upThird placeWinning coachTop scorers
    (club)    		Goals
    2007–08 Dempo (3) Churchill Brothers JCT Flag of India.svg Armando Colaco Flag of Nigeria.svg Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers)22
    2008–09 Churchill Brothers Mohun Bagan Sporting Goa Flag of Serbia.svg Zoran Đorđević Flag of Nigeria.svg Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers)24
    2009–10 Dempo (4) Churchill Brothers Pune Flag of India.svg Armando Colaco Flag of Nigeria.svg Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers)21
    2010–11 Salgaocar (2) East Bengal Dempo Flag of Morocco.svg Karim Bencherifa Flag of Nigeria.svg Ranti Martins (Dempo)28
    2011–12 Dempo (5) East Bengal Churchill Brothers Flag of India.svg Armando Colaco Flag of Nigeria.svg Ranti Martins (Dempo)32
    2012–13 Churchill Brothers (2) Pune East Bengal Flag of India.svg Mariano Dias Flag of Nigeria.svg Ranti Martins (Prayag United)26
    2013–14 Bengaluru East Bengal Salgaocar Flag of England.svg Ashley Westwood Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Cornell Glen (Shillong Lajong)
    Flag of Scotland.svg Darryl Duffy (Salgaocar)
    Flag of India.svg Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru)    		14
    2014–15 Mohun Bagan (4) Bengaluru Royal Wahingdoh Flag of India.svg Sanjoy Sen Flag of Nigeria.svg Ranti Martins (East Bengal)17
    2015–16 Bengaluru (2) Mohun Bagan East Bengal Flag of England.svg Ashley Westwood Flag of Nigeria.svg Ranti Martins (East Bengal)12
    2016–17 Aizawl Mohun Bagan East Bengal Flag of India.svg Khalid Jamil Flag of Cameroon.svg Aser Pierrick Dipanda (Shillong Lajong)11

    I-League and Indian Super League (2017–2022)

    From 2017–18 season until 2021–22 season , I-League and Indian Super League shared joint top flight status in Indian Football

    I-League

    SeasonChampions
    (number of titles)    		Runners-upThird placeWinning coachTop scorers
    (club)    		Goals
    2017–18 Minerva Punjab NEROCA Mohun Bagan Flag of India.svg Khogen Singh Flag of Cameroon.svg Aser Pierrick Dipanda (Mohun Bagan)13
    2018–19 Chennai City East Bengal Real Kashmir Flag of Singapore.svg Akbar Nawas Flag of Spain.svg Pedro Manzi (Chennai City)
    Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Willis Plaza (Churchill Brothers)    		21
    2019–20 Mohun Bagan (5)Not awarded [a] Flag of Spain.svg Kibu Vicuña Flag of Cameroon.svg Aser Pierrick Dipanda (Punjab)12
    2020–21 Gokulam Kerala Churchill Brothers TRAU Flag of Italy.svg Vincenzo Alberto Annese Flag of India.svg Bidyashagar Singh (TRAU)12
    2021–22 Gokulam Kerala (2) Mohammedan Sreenidi Deccan Flag of Italy.svg Vincenzo Alberto Annese Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Marcus Joseph (Mohammedan)16

    Indian Super League

    SeasonChampions (number of titles) [b] League winners [c] Runners-upWinning coachTop scorers
    (club)    		Goals
    2017–18 Chennaiyin Didn't Exist Bengaluru Flag of England.svg John Gregory Flag of Spain.svg Coro (Goa)18
    2018–19 Bengaluru (3) Goa Flag of Spain.svg Carles Cuadrat Flag of Spain.svg Coro (Goa)16
    2019–20 ATK [b] Goa Chennaiyin Flag of Spain.svg Antonio Lopez Habas Flag of Fiji.svg Roy Krishna (ATK)
    Flag of Lithuania.svg Nerijus Valskis (Chennaiyin)
    Flag of Nigeria.svg Bartholomew Ogbeche (Kerala Blasters)    		15
    2020–21 Mumbai City Mumbai City ATK Mohun Bagan Flag of Spain.svg Sergio Lobera Flag of Spain.svg Igor Angulo (Goa)
    Flag of Fiji.svg Roy Krishna (Mohun Bagan)    		14
    2021–22 Hyderabad Jamshedpur Kerala Blasters Flag of Spain.svg Manolo Márquez Flag of Nigeria.svg Bartholomew Ogbeche (Hyderabad)18
    1. ↑ On 18 April 2020, All India Football Federation, the organising body of the league announced Mohun Bagan as champions and decided to cancel the remaining matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No team was relegated, and the remaining prize money (apart from the champion's prize money) was equally divided among the 10 teams as the remaining teams were closely placed in the league table. [4]
    2. 1 2 ATK won the ISL title in 2014 and 2016 and Chennaiyin won the ISL title in 2015 before 2017–18 season when the ISL attained top division status.
    3. ↑ Since 2019–20, the regular season table toppers are awarded with the League Winners Shield and were granted a spot in AFC Champions League group stage till 2022–23 ISL Season.

    Indian Super League (2022–present)

    SeasonChampions (number of titles) [a] [5] Runners-upPlayoffs WinnersPlayoffs Runners-upWinning coachTop scorers
    (Club)    		Goals
    2022–23 Mumbai City (2) Hyderabad ATK Mohun Bagan Bengaluru Flag of England.svg Des Buckingham Flag of Brazil.svg Diego Maurício (Odisha)
    Flag of Brazil.svg Cleiton Silva (East Bengal)
    Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dimitri Petratos (ATK Mohun Bagan)    		12
    2023–24 Mohun Bagan SG (6) [6] Mumbai City Mumbai City Mohun Bagan SG Flag of Spain.svg Antonio López Habas Flag of Greece.svg Dimitrios Diamantakos (Kerala Blasters)
    Flag of Fiji.svg Roy Krishna (Odisha)    		13
    2024–25 Mohun Bagan SG (7) Goa Mohun Bagan SG (2) Bengaluru Flag of Spain.svg José Francisco Molina Flag of Morocco.svg Alaaeddine Ajaraie (Northeast United)23
    1. ↑ Since 2023–24 ISL season, the reigning regular season champions who are awarded with the League Winners Shield were granted a spot in AFC Champions League Two group stage.

    Total titles won

    There are 12 clubs who have won either the National Football League or the I-League. There are also 6 clubs who have won the Indian Super League since the league became the joint top division in India.

    Teams in bold are competing in the Indian Super League for the 2024–25 season.

    RankClubWinnersRunners-upWinning seasonsRunners-up seasons
    1 Mohun Bagan SG 75 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2014–15, 2019–20, 2023–24, 2024–25 2000–01, 2008–09, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2020–21
    2 Dempo 51 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12 2003–04
    3 East Bengal 37 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04 1997–98, 1998–99, 2005–06, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2018–19
    4 Bengaluru 32 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19 2014–15, 2017–18
    5 Churchill Brothers 26 2008–09, 2012–13 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2020–21
    6 Salgaocar †21 1998–99, 2010–11 2002–03
    Mumbai City 21 2020–21, 2022–23 2023–24
    7 Gokulam Kerala 20 2020–21, 2021–22 -
    8 JCT †11 1996–97 2006–07
    Chennaiyin 11 2017–18 2019–20
    Hyderabad 11 2021–22 2022–23
    9 Mahindra United †10 2005–06 -
    Aizawl 10 2016–17 -
    Minerva Punjab †10 2017–18 -
    Chennai City †10 2018–19 -
    ATK †10 2019–20 -
    Never won
    Goa 02— 2018–19, 2024–25
    Sporting Goa 01— 2004–05
    Pune †01— 2012–13
    NEROCA 01— 2017–18
    Kerala Blasters 01— 2021–22
    Mohammedan 01— 2021–22

    By state

    StateChampionshipsClubs
    West Bengal 11 Mohun Bagan SG (7), East Bengal (3), ATK (1)
    Goa 9 Dempo (5), Churchill Brothers (2), Salgaocar (2)
    Karnataka 3 Bengaluru (3)
    Maharashtra 3 Mumbai City (2), Mahindra United (1)
    Punjab 2 JCT (1), Minerva Punjab (1)
    Tamil Nadu 2 Chennaiyin (1), Chennai City (1)
    Kerala 2 Gokulam Kerala (2)
    Mizoram 1 Aizawl (1)
    Telangana 1 Hyderabad (1)

    By city/town

    City / TownStateChampionshipsClubs
    Kolkata West Bengal 11 Mohun Bagan SG (7), East Bengal (3), ATK (3)
    Panaji Goa 5 Dempo (5)
    Bangalore Karnataka 3 Bengaluru (3)
    Mumbai Maharashtra 3 Mumbai City (2), Mahindra United (1)
    Margao Goa 2 Churchill Brothers (2)
    Vasco da Gama Goa 2 Salgaocar (2)
    Kozhikode Kerala 2 Gokulam Kerala (2)
    Aizawl Mizoram 1 Aizawl (1)
    Chennai Tamil Nadu 1 Chennaiyin (1)
    Coimbatore Tamil Nadu 1 Chennai City (1)
    Hoshiarpur Punjab 1 JCT (1)
    Ludhiana Punjab 1 Minerva Punjab (1)
    Hyderabad Telangana 1 Hyderabad (1)

    National Cup winners

    Federation Cup (1977–2017)

    YearWinnersRunners-up
    1977–78 Indian Telephone Industries Mohun Bagan
    1978–79 Mohun Bagan and East Bengal - (joint winners)
    1979–80 BSF Mafatlal Mills
    1980–81 Mohun Bagan (2) and East Bengal (2) - (joint winners)
    1981–82 Mohun Bagan (3) Mohammedan
    1982–83 Mohun Bagan (4) Mafatlal Mills
    1983–84 Mohammedan Mohun Bagan
    1984–85 Mohammedan (2) East Bengal
    1985 East Bengal (3) Mohun Bagan
    1986–87 Mohun Bagan (5) East Bengal
    1987–88 Mohun Bagan (6) Salgaocar
    1988–89 Salgaocar BSF
    1989–90 Salgaocar Mohammedan Sporting
    1990 Kerala Police Salgaocar
    1991 Kerala Police (2) Mahindra & Mahindra
    1992 Mohun Bagan (7) East Bengal
    1993 Mohun Bagan (8) Mahindra & Mahindra
    1994 Mohun Bagan (9) Salgaocar
    1995 JCT East Bengal
    1995–96 JCT Mills East Bengal
    1996 East Bengal (4) Dempo
    1997 Salgaocar (3) East Bengal
    1998 Mohun Bagan (10) East Bengal
    1999Not held
    2000
    2001 Mohun Bagan (11) Dempo
    2002Not held
    2003 Mahindra United Mohammedan Sporting
    2004 Dempo Mohun Bagan
    2005 Mahindra United (2) Sporting Goa
    2006 Mohun Bagan (12) Sporting Goa
    2007 East Bengal (5) Mahindra United
    2008 Mohun Bagan (13) Dempo
    2009–10 East Bengal (6) Shillong Lajong
    2010 East Bengal (7) Mohun Bagan
    2011 Salgaocar (4) East Bengal
    2012 East Bengal (8) Dempo
    2013–14 Churchill Brothers Sporting Goa
    2014–15 Bengaluru Dempo
    2015–16 Mohun Bagan (14) Aizawl
    2016–17 Bengaluru (2) Mohun Bagan

    Super Cup (2018–present)

    SeasonWinnerRunner-up
    2018 Bengaluru (3) East Bengal
    2019 Goa Chennaiyin
    2020–2022Tournament suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Indian National Team's international fixtures
    2023 Odisha Bengaluru
    2024 East Bengal (9) Odisha
    2025

    Total Cups won

    ClubWinnerWinning YearsRunners-upRunners-up Years
    Mohun Bagan SG 141978*, 1980*, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987
    1992, 1993, 1994, 1998
    2001, 2006, 2008, 2016     		61977, 1983, 1985, 2004, 2010, 2017
    East Bengal 91978*, 1980*, 1985, 1996, 2007, 2009–10, 2010, 2012, 2024 91984, 1986, 1992, 1995–96, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2011, 2018
    Salgaocar 41988, 1989, 1997, 2011 31987, 1990, 1994
    Bengaluru 3 2014–15, 2017, 2018 1 2023
    Mohammedan 21983, 198431981, 1989, 2003
    Mahindra United 22003, 200531991, 1993, 2007
    JCT Mills 21995, 1995–960-
    Kerala Police 21990, 1991 [7] 0-
    Dempo 1200451996#, 2001, 2008, 2012, 2014–15
    BSF (Border Security Force) 1197911988
    Odisha 1 2023 1 2024
    ITI (Indian Telephone Industries) 119770-
    Churchill Brothers 1 2013–14 0-
    Goa 1 2019 0-
    Sporting Clube de Goa 0-32005, 2006, 2013–14
    Shillong Lajong 0-1 2009–10
    Aizawl 0-1 2015–16
    Chennaiyin 0-1 2019

    Multiple trophy wins

    The Domestic Double

    ClubSeasonsTitles
    Mohun Bagan SG 2001–02 National Football League, Federation Cup
    2023–24 Durand Cup, ISL League Shield
    2024–25 ISL League Shield, ISL Cup
    Dempo 2004–05 National Football League, Federation Cup
    Mahindra United 2005–06 National Football League, Federation Cup
    Mumbai City 2020–21 ISL League Shield, ISL Cup

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ "REPORT: MOHUN BAGAN SUPER GIANT SEE OFF MUMBAI CITY FC TO WIN LEAGUE SHIELD". www.indiansuperleague.com.
    2. 1 2 3 "ISL gets official recognition from AFC, becomes second national football league". FirstPost. 28 June 2017. Archived from the original on 2 January 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
    3. ↑ "India clubs agree to work together on league roadmap". AFC. 14 October 2019. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
    4. ↑ "League Committee sends its recommendations to the AIFF Executive Committee | Hero I-League". Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
    5. ↑ "ISL Champions badge awarded to ISL Shield winners; Mumbai City FC set to wear the badge in the 2023-24 season". www.sportskeeda.com.
    6. ↑ "MOHUN BAGAN ARE ISL CHAMPIONS: THE GLORY, THE RECORDS AND THE HEROES". www.indiansuperleague.com.
    7. ↑ Federation Cup. the-aiff.com (archived)
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