Youth League (India)

Last updated

Youth League
Youth League (India).svg
Founded2008;17 years ago (2008)
CountryIndia
DivisionsAIFF Youth League
Junior League
Sub-Junior League
Number of clubs54 (AIFF Youth League)
47 (Junior League)
49 (Sub-Junior League)
Level on pyramid1
Current championsYouth: Classic FA
Junior: Minerva Punjab
Sub-Junior: RF Young Champs
Most championshipsYouth:AIFF Elite Academy (3 titles)
Junior: Minerva Punjab (4 titles)
Sub-Junior:
Minerva Academy FC
Minerva Punjab
RF Young Champs
(1 title each)
Website www.the-aiff.com
Current: 2024–25

The Youth League is a system of youth football leagues that are managed, organised and controlled by the All India Football Federation. It consists of 3 age groups competitions: U17 (AIFF Youth League), U15 (Junior League) and U13 (Sub-Junior League).

Contents

History

The league was founded as the I-League U19 in 2008, which was to give youth teams of the I-League a national league to play in. 16 teams were split into four groups of four. At the end of the season, the top team from the group stage would move onto the final stage with the other group winners, and play each other once. The inaugural winners were Tata Football Academy. [1]

The competition name was changed in 2012 to the I-League U-20, [2] because many U-20 players in the I-League were not getting any time in the senior teams.

The U20 name only lasted for two seasons, before the All India Football Federation decided to switch the tournament format back to an under-19 format from 2014. [3] From 2014, the tournament was divided into five zones, namely Kolkata, Mumbai, Shillong, Goa and Rest of India.

The competition once again changed format in 2015–16, played as U18 tournament. From 2017–18 season, the league was renamed as Youth League U18 and subsequently as Elite League from 2018–19.

Structure

For younger categories, in most cases teams play each other in their respective zonal groups twice – home and away. At the end of the group stage, the top two teams go through to the final phase.

Those teams are divided into three groups and the group champions, along with the best second placed teams, qualify for the knockout stages.

For Youth League, the latest tournament took place across ten venues, with single round-robin format in the group and knockout stage. The 49 teams from 29 states and union territories were divided in ten groups.

Past winners

I-League U19
2008 Tata Football Academy
2010 Sporting Clube de Goa
2011 JCT
I-League U20
2012 Pune F.C. Academy
2013 Pune F.C. Academy
I-League U19
2014 Tata Football Academy
2014–15 AIFF Elite Academy
I-League U18
2015–16 AIFF Elite Academy
2016–17 AIFF Elite Academy
Youth League U18
2017–18 Shillong Lajong
Elite League
2018–19 Minerva Punjab
2019–20 called off due to COVID-19 pandemic
U17 Youth Cup
2022–23 Classic Football Academy [4]
U-17 Youth League
2023–24 Classic Football Academy

List of winners

TeamU20
titles
U19
titles
U18/U17
titles
AIFF Elite Academy 012
Pune U19 200
Tata FA U19 020
JCT 010
Shillong Lajong U18 001
Minerva Punjab 001
Sporting Club de Goa 010
Classic FA002

Under-17 level

AIFF Youth League
Number of clubs54
Current championsClassic FA
(2nd title)
Most championships AIFF Elite Academy
(3 titles)
TV partnersAIFF (YouTube)
Website Official website
Current: 2023–24

The Youth League or the Hero U-17 Youth Cup was previously known as I-League U18, I-League U19 and I-League U20. [5] is the top level of youth football in India. It is contested between the under-17 sides of The I-League teams, Indian Super League teams, as well as other youth teams. The most successful team currently is AIFF Elite Academy, who won three titles. Minerva Punjab are the last known champions.

On 7 December 2018 AIFF decided to change its name to Hero Elite League. [6] [7]

Dream Sports Championship is another competition for U17 players organized by Dream Sports India.

Under-15 level (9-a-side)

Junior League
Number of clubs47
Current champions Reliance Foundation Young Champs
Website Official website
Current: 2023-24
EditionWinners
2015–16Minerva Punjab
2016–17Minerva Punjab
2017–18Minerva Punjab
2018–19Minerva Punjab [8]
2019–20called off due to COVID-19 pandemic
2023–24 RF Young Champs

Under-13 level (7-a-side)

Sub-Junior League
Number of clubs49
Current champions Minerva Academy FC
Website Official website
Current: 2023-24
EditionWinners
2017–18Minerva Punjab
2018–19 RF Young Champs
2019–20called off due to COVID-19 pandemic
2023–24 Minerva Academy FC

See also

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References

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