Country India Level on pyramid 1 Relegation to GFA 1st Division | Number of teams 11 Promotion to None | |
Founded 1998
1977–97(as Goa Super Division)
1951–77(as Goa First Division) | ||
The Goa Professional League (GPL; known as the Airtel Pro League for sponsorship purposes) is the premier state level football league in Goa. It is organised by the Goa Football Association
Contents
History
The official league in Goa, called the First Division began in 1951 and it was organised by the Conselho de Desportos. There was no Super League. The first League champion of Goa was Clube Desportivo de Chinchinim who beat Football Club of Siolim, to clinch the title.
The League continued under the aegis of the Conselho de Desportos till the season of 1958–59, with Clube de Desportos de Vasco da Gama taking the title that year. In 1959, the Goa Football Association was established as the official administrative body of football and from that season onwards the league was conducted by GFA. The 1959–60 League was conducted by the GFA and Clube Independente de Margao emerged champions.
Until the 1968–69 season there was no Senior League. The First Division League was considered Senior. The GFA introduced the Senior Division League in 1969–70, which was topmost of Division football. But the senior league was later abandoned.
In 1970–71 season, apart from the Senior Division League, there came into existence the first division league which was split into two groups, namely the North Zone and South Zone. While the North Zone consisted of teams from Ilhas and Bardez the South Zone accommodated teams from Mormugao and Salcete.
From the around 24 teams in the Second Division, just one make it to the First Division League. While there are around 60 teams battling it out in the Third Division, of which two teams make it to the next stage. Subsequently, the teams finishing at the bottom of their respective pool, are relegated to other divisions.
In 1977 the Goa Football Association introduced the Super League in the season of 1977–78, with Salgaocar Sports Club clinching the title. With football, globally, continuing to develop at a fast pace, the Goa Football Association, decided it was time to push the game onto a higher platform. Goa emerged as the first State ever in the country, to go professional with the game and till date it remains the only State in the country, where the status of the game is professional.
The first Professional League was launched in the 1998–99 season. The five top teams of the 1997–98 Super League – Churchill Brothers SC, Salgaocar SC, Dempo SC, Vasco SC and VLM SC – automatically qualified for the Pro League.
The Professional league was expanded to six teams from the 2000–2001 season, after the GFA thought it wise to increase the number and increase the competitiveness factor, and since 2002 the league was played as an eight team league with home-and-away fixtures making it 14 matches for each club. The GFA then announced that the 2011 season would be played with 10 teams under a new format in which Salgaocar won in.
Goan Pro League clubs 2016–17
The following 11 clubs will compete in the GPL during the 2016—17 season.
List of Champions
Goa Professional League
For past winners at this level before 1997, see List of Goan State Football Champions.