I-League officially rebranded as Indian Football League: AIFF

I-League, the country's second-tier football league, has officially been rebranded as the Indian Football League, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said on Thursday. Ten teams have already confirmed participation in the truncated season of the I-League 2025-26 starting February 21. ''The All India Football Federation's Executive Committee, in an online meeting on Thursday, approved the rebranding of the I-League to the Indian Football League from the 2025-26 season,'' AIFF posted on its official X account. ''The committee further ratified the charter for the Governing Council of the Indian Super League and the Indian Football League,'' the apex body added in the post. The decision was first taken at a meeting of club representatives and officials of the AIFF last month. The top domestic competition was earlier known as the National Football League (NFL) from 1996 to 2007, before being rebranded as the I-League. The launch of the ISL in 2014 altered the hierarchy, pushing the I-League to the second tier. Meanwhile, it was learnt that the AIFF executive committee has rejected Churchill Brothers' plea to be included in the ISL 2025-26. The Goan club was initially declared champions of the last I-League season and promoted to the ISL, but the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) later ruled that Inter Kashi were the champions. The Varanasi-based club was then promoted to the ISL. Churchill Brothers had challenged the AIFF's decision in the Delhi High Court, and the case is still pending. The confirmed I-League teams include Diamond Harbour, Real Kashmir, Gokulam Kerala, Rajasthan United, Dempo SC, Namdhari FC, Shillong Lajong, Sreenidi Deccan, Aizawl FC, and Chanmari FC. The ISL, which remains the country's top-tier competition, is scheduled to start on February 14, a week before the Indian Football League.