Reports | I-League clubs give AIFF new plan for 20-team tournament

Reports | I-League clubs give AIFF new plan for 20-team tournament

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I-League

According to a TOI report, I-League clubs have sent AIFF a new proposal to start a 20-team tournament in India which will include 10 teams each from I-League and ISL. According to the I-League (Private) Clubs Association (IPCA)’s plan, the league will be played preferably between September and May.

Claiming that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) will generate more revenue if it starts a new unified football league by including all the teams from I-League and ISL, IPCA has sent a proposal regarding this to the general secretary of the federation Kushal Das. This proposal has come just before the commencement of the main round of the second edition of the Super Cup football tournament which includes teams from both the leagues and organised by the AIFF. 

Aizawl FC, Chennai City, Churchill Brothers, East Bengal, Gokulam Kerala, Minerva Punjab, Mohun Bagan, NEROCA and Real Kashmir are the nine teams that are a part of the IPCA. The association also proposed that with 10 teams each from both the leagues, the unified football tournament can run for a duration of nine months, preferably from the month of September to May.

"There will be 20 teams in the first division and 16 in the second. We acknowledge the role of ISL clubs as they have been supporting Indian football for the last five years by investing a lot of money. But it's also true that ISL clubs are suffering huge losses and we need to stop that bleeding. We don't want to lose ISL clubs because they might run out of money at some stage. They should stay and hence we have given a financial model so that it's sustainable and every team will benefit from it," Mohun Bagan’s finance secretary Debasish Dutta said to the media, reported TOI.

"The 20 teams are all set to get Rs 12 crore each while AIFF also stands to earn Rs 50 crore. The clubs will also pay a participation fee of Rs 2 crore to FSDL. The revenue might not be possible in the first year itself but we will definitely cut down on the losses," Minerva Punjab owner Ranjit Bajaj told TOI.

However, the AIFF might not go ahead with the plan given by the I-League club owners because of the contracts with the ISL clubs and the AIFF general secretary has clarified that the ISL will be the top league in India from the upcoming season.

"ISL will be the top league and there will be a tier 2 and 3 league. But we are planning to open more bids so that I-League clubs can have the option of joining ISL. Once the 10-year contract with FSDL runs out, we can think of relegation and promotion in the top league. However, the I-League clubs have given us the proposal and we will definitely look into it," said Das.

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