| Sport | Football |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | NWIFA |
| Founded | March 1932 |
| Headquarters | Lahore |
| Closure date | 1947 |
The North-West India Football Association (NWIFA), was a football governing body in British India, encompassing football control in Punjab, NWFP, Sind, Baluchistan and Delhi. [1] It was headquartered in Lahore. It also sent state teams for the Santosh Trophy.
A movement to form a separate football association in North Western India was initiated by Wing Commander Hamid Ali Soofi in November 1931, aiming to promote football activity in the region. [1] In March 1932, the North-West India Football Association was established, headquartered in Lahore, and encompassing control in Punjab, NWFP, Sind, Balochistan and Delhi. [1] [2] [3] Sikandar Hayat Khan was elected president and Hamid Ali Soofi was elected honorary secretary. [4] On 23 June 1937, NWIFA became one of the nine regional football associations to become affiliated with the newly formed All India Football Federation. [5] [6]
Later on, several regions detached and formed their own associations. Sind Football Association was formed in July 1937, [7] [8] [9] and the NWFP Football Association was founded in August 1937. [10] After the partition of India and the subsequent division of Punjab between India and Pakistan, the East Punjab Football Association was established in India, [4] and the West Punjab Football Association was established in Pakistan. [11] The last honorary secretary of the North-West India Football Association since 1942, Khawaja Riaz Ahmed, continued his position as honorary secretary in the West Punjab Football Association in Pakistan. [12] Hamid Ali Soofi also became the first honorary secretary of the Pakistan Football Federation. [13]
The North-West India Football Association (NWIFA) football team competed in the Santosh Trophy. [14]
| President | Term [15] |
|---|---|
| Sikandar Hayat Khan | 1932 – 1935 |
| Khan Bahadur Nawab Muzaffar Khan | 1935 – 1938 |
| Dr. H.B. Dunnicliff | 1938 – 1939 |
| Khan Bahadur Muhammad Sheikh | 1939 – 1942 |
| Khan Bahadur Mian Afzal Hussain | 1942 – 1947 |
| Honorary Secretary | Term [15] [12] |
|---|---|
| Hamid Ali Soofi | 1932 – 1942 |
| Khawaja Riaz Ahmed | 1942 – 1947 |
The association organised several editions of the North-West India Football Championship, open to teams from Punjab, NWFP, Sindh, Balochistan and Delhi. [16] [17] [18] [19] The winners were awarded the Harper Nelson Challenge Cup, and the tunners-up were awarded the Rambhajdatt Chaudhary Memorial Challenge Cup. [15]
| Edition | Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1932–1933 | Headquarter Wing, East Surrey Regiment | 1–1 N/A (replayed final) | Shining Club (Kohat) | [20] [21] |
| 2 | 1933–1934 | A Company, East Surrey Regiment | N/A | Headquarter Wing, East Surrey Regiment | [22] [23] |
| 3 | 1935 | Mozang Club | 3–2 | North-Western Railway Workshops | [24] |
| 4 | 1936 | United Hands FC | 3–0 | A Company The Royal Scots | [25] |
| 5 | 1937 | Shining Club (Kohat) | 1–0 | Government College (Lahore) | [26] [27] |
| 6 | 1938 | ||||
| 7 | 1939 | ||||
| 8 | 1940 | C Company DCLI | 2–1 | Government College (Lahore) | [28] |
| 9 | 1941 | Government College (Lahore) | 2–0 | B Company | [29] |
| 10 | 1942 | Olympians Club (Lahore) | 5–0 | Mozang Muslims | [30] |
| 11 | 1943 | Batapur Club/Bata Sports | 3–0 | Rangers Club (Lahore) | [31] [32] |
| 12 | 1944 | Bata Sports Club | 1–1 3–2 (replayed final) | DFA Jullundur | [33] [34] [35] |
| 13 | 1945 | ||||
| 14 | 1946 | ||||
| 15 | 1947 |
A Lahore Football League was founded in 1936. [36] From 1937, it was divided in two divisions. [37]