I-League rebranded to Indian Football League, 10 teams confirm participation
India Today
AIFF has officially rebranded the I-League as the Indian Football League starting from the 2025-26 season. The move coincides with the confirmation of participating teams and ongoing disputes over club promotions.
The I-League has officially been rebranded as the Indian Football League, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced on Thursday, marking another structural shift in the country’s domestic football landscape.
The decision was approved during an online meeting of the AIFF Executive Committee and will come into effect from the 2025–26 season.
“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,” the AIFF said in a post 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 federation added.
The move follows discussions held last month between AIFF officials and club representatives, where the proposal was first cleared.
India’s top domestic competition was originally known as the National Football League (NFL) from 1996 to 2007, before being rebranded as the I-League. However, the launch of the Indian Super League in 2014 reshaped the domestic hierarchy, pushing the I-League into the second tier.
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