NEW DELHI (India): The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee endorsed the roadmap for Indian football at their meeting in Da Nang (Vietnam) on Saturday.
The endorsement comes shortly after the AFC held a summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 14.
ISL gets top priority
The ISL is recognised as the top league in India starting from this 2019-2020 season.
The ISL winners would also be entitled to a play-off place in AFC Champions League and I-League champions would take a place in the AFC Cup in ‘a package that takes into consideration the recommendations of the FIFA/AFC report of 2017.’
The roadmap includes:
• The ISL will attain the status of premier league competition.
• The AFC will allow the ISL champions to represent India in the AFC Champions League play-offs, and I-League winners in AFC Cup play-off.
• Two I-League clubs can enter into the ISL by the end of 2020-21 season.
• I-League winner will stand a chance to be promoted from 2022-23 and 2023-2024 seasons with no participation fee, but they must fulfill sporting merit and national club licensing criteria. There will be no relegation in ISL at this time.
• It was also agreed to implement promotion and relegation into the top league in 2024-25, and two parallel leagues will be abolished.
The document will now be distributed to all stakeholders for their information and future reference.
