| 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] Sikandar Hayat Khan was elected president and Hamid Ali Soofi was elected honorary secretary. [3]
Later on, several regions detached and formed their own associations. Sind Football Association was formed in July 1937, [4] [5] [6] and the NWFP Football Association was founded in August 1937. [7] After the partition of India and the subsequent division of Punjab between India and Pakistan, the East Punjab Football Association was established in India, [3] and the West Punjab Football Association was established in Pakistan. [8] 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. [9] Hamid Ali Soofi also became the first honorary secretary of the Pakistan Football Federation. [10]
The North-West India Football Association (NWIFA) football team competed in the Santosh Trophy. [11]
| President | Term | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Sikandar Hayat Khan | 1932 – 1935 | |
| Khan Bahadur Nawab Muzaffar Khan | 1935 – ?? | [12] [13] |
| Khan Bahadur Muhammad Sheikh | ?? – 1946 | [14] [15] |
Note: Some sources report that Khan Bahadur Mian Afzal Hussain served as President of the association during 1942–43, overlapping with the tenure attributed to Khan Bahadur Muhammad Sheikh. [16]
| Honorary Secretary | Term | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Hamid Ali Soofi | 1932 – 1942 | |
| Khawaja Riaz Ahmed | 1942 – 1947 | [9] |
The association organised several editions of the North-West India Football Championship, open to teams from Punjab, NWFP, Sindh, Balochistan and Delhi. [17] [18] [19]
| 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]