Country India Level on pyramid 2 Domestic cup(s) Federation Cup | Number of teams 12 Promotion to I-League | |
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Founded 2008; 9 years ago (2008) | ||
The I-League 2nd Division is the second-highest division overall in the Indian football league system after the I-League.
Contents
The I-League 2nd Division was introduced for the 2008 season, having been previously known as the National Football League 2nd Division.
History
The I-League 2nd Division was introduced during the 2008 season. The first game was played on 25 March 2008 between Mohammedan and Amity United. From 2008 to 2011 the league was sponsored by ONGC and was named the ONGC I-League 2nd Division. ONGC was also the title sponsor of the I-League. In October 2011 ONGC was dropped as a sponsor.
The 2008 season saw Mohammedan, Mumbai, Vasco, and Chirag United get promoted to the I-League. The next season in 2009 saw Pune, Shillong Lajong, Viva Kerala, and Salgaocar promoted to the I-League.
Since 2010, only 2 teams were promoted to I-League. ONGC and HAL promoted in 2010. In 2011 Shillong Lajong and Sporting Clube de Goa were promoted with Lajong being promoted for the 2nd time. In 2012, ONGC and United Sikkim were promoted for 2012–13 season. The 2013 season saw Rangdajied United F.C and Mohammedan qualifying for I-League 2013-14.
In 2014, only one team got promoted from the 2nd division and similarly only one team got relegated from 2013–14 season.
The official logo for the second tier football club competition of India – the 2nd Division League – has been officially introduced by the All India Football Federation on 17 March 2015. That year only one team got promoted from the 2nd division (Aizawl F.C.) and similarly only one team got relegated from I-League(Dempo).
2008-2015
Previously, the league was formatted as a neutral venue competition with teams split into groups in which all the groups play in one stadium each. The final round is contested in a double round-robin format, after which the top two teams get promoted to the I-League. But from 2015 there was a change in format. There was no preliminary round and no division of team based on team. The 8 eight teams played against each other twice at neutral venues.
2015-16
The I-League core committee approved the plans for the 2015-16 I-League 2nd division matches to be played on a home and away basis. The preliminary rounds will be played in the ‘conference’ system with the teams being divided into Eastern and Western conferences. Top 3 teams from each conference will qualify for the final round of the 2015-2016 season of 2nd division I-League.
To widen the football map of the country and to bolster the football structure, l-League Core Committee decide to launch the 2nd division qualifier for 2016-17 season. Participants from all the state associations would be invited to take part in 2nd division league 2016-17 qualifiers. The state associations need to nominate 2 (two) teams with best results, apart from the teams who would compete in Hero I-League and 2nd division league in 2015-16 season, from the state league 2015-16, to compete in the 2nd division qualifiers. The teams will fight it out amongst themselves in the zonal round followed by the final round. Eventually top two teams from the final round will get a nod to the 2nd division league 2016-17, provided that they fulfill the club licensing requirements in the due time.
Clubs
The following clubs are participating in the 2nd Division League 2016-17
Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
The clubs which participated in the 2nd Division League 2015-16 and not part of 2nd Division League 2016-17 season.