The 2019-20 season has given India three slots in Asian and three Indian Super League (ISL) clubs - FC Goa, ATK-Mohun Bagan and Chennaiyin FC - are set to take part in the next edition of the AFC. Under Asian Football Confederation's member association ranking system issued in November 2019, India has been allotted one slot in the expanded AFC Champions League as the country occupied eighth.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Tuesday recommended that the coveted AFC Champions League slot be granted to the winners of the Indian Super League (ISL), effectively elevating the ISL to the top division from the 2019-20 season at the expense of the I-League.
The recommendation might mean that India's AFC Cup slot now goes to the I-League winners. The AIFF has also asked AFC to send a high-level delegation to help create a suitable roadmap for Indian football, in discussion with AIFF, ISL clubs, I-League clubs and FSDL, in a time-bound manner.
A press release from the AIFF stated that the recommendation to nominate the ISL for the AFC Champions League slot had come in light of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) signed with AIFF's commercial partners Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) in 2010. It states that 'in the last five years, the entire Indian national squad are mostly being signed/playing for the ISL clubs', and that 'TV viewership and in-stadia audience have grown far more substantially vis-à-vis the I-League', while also pointing at the ISL clubs' willingness to comply with the AFC Club licensing criteria, including grassroots and youth development programmes.
AIFF Executive Committee statement on ISL/ILeague situation #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/zqcrfth9qm
- jonathan selvaraj (@jon_selvaraj) July 9, 2019
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The decision, taken at the AIFF's executive committee meeting in New Delhi, is likely to be challenged by the I-League clubs.
ESPN understands that in the original arrangement, AFC had only agreed to grant an AFC Cup slot to the ISL, recognizing that as the national knockout tournament, at the expense of the erstwhile Federation Cup, while the AFC Champions League slot had stayed with the I-League champions. Chennai City FC are set to play the AFC Champions League playoffs for 2020 as the reigning I-League champions.
On Monday, six I-League clubs -- Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Churchill Brothers, FC Goa, Gokulam Kerala FC, Minerva Punjab FC and Aizawl FC -- wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to set up an enquiry commission and 'probe' the AIFF's functioning.
Last week, AIFF president Praful Patel assured the I-League clubs that their future was secure and he would approach the AFC to ensure the league continued to co-exist with the ISL for a few more years.
Two weeks ago, a top AIFF source told ESPN that the federation was 'contract-bound' as per it 2010 Master Rights Agreement with Football Sports Development Limited, to make the ISL the 'most senior and prestigious' league of India.
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Six I-League clubs accepted the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) proposal to maintain the status quo by continuing I-League and Indian Super League for another 2-3 years. However, they rejected the idea of the ISL winners being given the AFC Champions League slot.
In a joint statement issued by Minerva Punjab, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Aizawl FC, Churchill Brothers, and Gokulam Kerala, the clubs thanked Patel for hearing their grievances and said they agreed to the broadcast and scheduling plans for the upcoming I-League season.
Current I-league champions Chennai City, Real Kashmir, NEROCA FC, and newly promoted club TRAU were not signatories to the statement.
'In the spirit of compromise, I-League clubs agree to the broadcast plan and scheduling plans for the upcoming season even though it is not ideal. I-League clubs also agree to continue with the two league system for another 3 years despite initially demanding immediate resolution with a unified league,' the statement said.
Also read:
ISL vs I-League: AIFF's two-league conundrum
I-League clubs request PM to 'intervene and save Indian football'
I-League clubs demand AFC Champions League slot, better coverage
AIFF set to make ISL India's top league
What is the I-League-AIFF showdown all about?
The decision, taken at the AIFF's executive committee meeting in New Delhi, is likely to be challenged by the I-League clubs.
ESPN understands that in the original arrangement, AFC had only agreed to grant an AFC Cup slot to the ISL, recognizing that as the national knockout tournament, at the expense of the erstwhile Federation Cup, while the AFC Champions League slot had stayed with the I-League champions. Chennai City FC are set to play the AFC Champions League playoffs for 2020 as the reigning I-League champions.
On Monday, six I-League clubs -- Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Churchill Brothers, FC Goa, Gokulam Kerala FC, Minerva Punjab FC and Aizawl FC -- wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to set up an enquiry commission and 'probe' the AIFF's functioning.
Last week, AIFF president Praful Patel assured the I-League clubs that their future was secure and he would approach the AFC to ensure the league continued to co-exist with the ISL for a few more years.
Two weeks ago, a top AIFF source told ESPN that the federation was 'contract-bound' as per it 2010 Master Rights Agreement with Football Sports Development Limited, to make the ISL the 'most senior and prestigious' league of India.
International Afc Champions League
Six I-League clubs accepted the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) proposal to maintain the status quo by continuing I-League and Indian Super League for another 2-3 years. However, they rejected the idea of the ISL winners being given the AFC Champions League slot.
In a joint statement issued by Minerva Punjab, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Aizawl FC, Churchill Brothers, and Gokulam Kerala, the clubs thanked Patel for hearing their grievances and said they agreed to the broadcast and scheduling plans for the upcoming I-League season.
Current I-league champions Chennai City, Real Kashmir, NEROCA FC, and newly promoted club TRAU were not signatories to the statement.
'In the spirit of compromise, I-League clubs agree to the broadcast plan and scheduling plans for the upcoming season even though it is not ideal. I-League clubs also agree to continue with the two league system for another 3 years despite initially demanding immediate resolution with a unified league,' the statement said.
'However, the clubs are not in favour of giving away their rightfully earned and longstanding AFC Champions league spot till a proper plan for unified league is initiated. The United I-League clubs insist that the AFC Champions league spot must remain with the I-League, as it is the I-League clubs that have (over the years) earned the AFC spots for India to enjoy today. The AIFF has already granted AFC Cup slot to ISL in 2017 and the same arrangement should continue till there is one unified league,' it continued.
As an addendum, the I-League clubs also submitted a 10-point 'Roadmap for League Football in India' to the AIFF, which, among others, pitched for the formation of a Working Group with representations from the AIFF, FSDL, I-League and ISL clubs to plan for the introduction of a unified league involving both I-League and ISL clubs with promotion and relegation.
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The roadmap recommended that a tri-partite agreement be signed between AIFF, FSDL, and I-League clubs, giving details of the arrangement for the next three years to avoid recurring confrontations among the stakeholders.
It also sought the immediate formation of an I-League Committee with representatives from AIFF and I-League clubs with sole responsibility of taking decisions regarding I-League, Second Division, and Youth Leagues. The committee is to negotiate and finalise the production house -- with half the total cost of production to be borne by FSDL and the other half be paid by AIFF.
The other recommendations included
I-league to be referred as the National Football League of India
I-League champions to get AFC Champions League slot
All matches of I-League to be shown live on HD Channel with improved production quality (8 camera set up with specifications mentioned)
I-League matches to start at 5 pm and 7 pm (for non-floodlight venues, kick off timings to be 2 pm/3 pm).
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The I-League clubs also asked that the 'Roadmap' be approved and announced by the AIFF Executive Committee -- providing all details, including present status of I-League and ISL and the plan for the future.
