The state football associations are the regional governing bodies of football in India. There are 36 state associations and 2 affiliates associations to the All India Football Federation. [1]
The state associations have their own constitutions and structure. Depending on the size of the state, some associations have affiliated sub-district associations. Each state conducts its own competitions, while the local sub-associations organise lower tier leagues.
No. | Association | Department | President |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Railways Sports Promotion Board | Indian Railways | D. K. Gayen |
2 | Services Sports Control Board | Indian Armed Forces | Dinesh Suri |
The National Football Championships, known as Hero NFC for sponsorship ties, are inter-state knock-out competitions contested among the regional state associations and government institutions under the All India Football Federation, national governing body. Currently six (3 men's & 3 women's) championship competitions are held for age different groups.
Association football is one of the four most-popular sports in India, the others being Cricket, Kabaddi and Field hockey. 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 National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy, due to ties with FIFA, also known as the FIFA Santosh Trophy, or simply Santosh Trophy, is an semi professional 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 Sub Junior National Football Championship, also known as Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy, is an Indian annual football tournament for under-13 teams representing the states of India. It was formerly held for the U-16 age group before being converted into an U-13 tournament from the 2023-24 edition. 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.
The Arunachal Pradesh football team is an Indian football team representing Arunachal Pradesh in the Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy. Arunachal's sub-juniors team was runner up in the 2018 Hero Sub-Juniors Boys' National Championship and the 2019 Hero Sub Juniors Girls' National Championship. In the tournament, Tallo Ana from the Apatani community of Arunachal Pradesh was the top scorer with 15 goals in five matches.
The All Manipur Football Association (AMFA) is the state governing body of football in Manipur. It is affiliated with the All India Football Federation, the national governing body. It sends state teams for Santosh Trophy and Senior Women's National Football Championship. The AMFA's Manipur State League is the highest football level tournament in Manipur.
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.
The Junior National Football Championship, also known as BC Roy Trophy, is an Indian football tournament held for players under-15 years of age representing the states of India. It was formerly held for the U-19 age group before being converted into an U-15 tournament from the 2023-24 edition. The participants in the annual competition are teams representing state associations of India under the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The tournament was instituted by the AIFF in 1962, with the Indian Football Association presenting the trophy in memory of former West Bengal Chief Minister Bidhan Chandra Roy.
The Football Association of Odisha (FAO) is the governing body of football in the state of Odisha, India. The Odisha football team and Odisha women's football team are administered by the Football Association of Odisha. The FAO is affiliated with the All India Football Federation, the national administrating body for football in India.
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 Uttarakhand State Football Association (USFA) is the governing body of football in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is affiliated with the All India Football Federation. The USFA sends state teams for Santosh Trophy and Senior Women's National Football Championship.
The Chhattisgarh Football Association (CFA) is the state governing body of football in Chhattisgarh, India. It is affiliated with the All India Football Federation, the national governing body. It sends state teams for Santosh Trophy and Senior Women's National Football Championship.
State football leagues in India represents premier-state (football), overall 5th-10th men's and 3rd women's tier of the Indian football league system. There are currently a total of 36 state associations affiliated with the national governing body, the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
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.
The Andhra Pradesh Football Association (APFA), formerly the Andhra Football Association, is the state governing body of football in Andhra Pradesh. It is affiliated with the All India Football Federation, the national governing body. The APFA sends state teams for Santosh Trophy and Senior Women's National Football Championship.
The Pondicherry Football Association is the football governing body for Puducherry, India. It is affiliated with the All India Football Federation, the national governing body. It sends state teams for Santosh Trophy and Senior Women's National Football Championship.
The Ladakh Football Association (LFA) is the football governing body in Ladakh, India. It is affiliated with the All India Football Federation, the national governing body. It sends state teams for Santosh Trophy and Senior Women's National Football Championship.