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The Hindu
32 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Rise, Fall, and Flux: Indian football's administrative timeline
Indian football enjoyed its golden era from 1951 to 1962, and those who witnessed those times often reminisce fondly about the days gone by. However, nostalgia aside, football in the country did not follow the most professional approach back then, with most clubs playing in state leagues or select nationwide tournaments. Here's a brief look at Indian football's journey from glory to stagnation 1996 First steps The All India Football Federation (AIFF) decided to overhaul the domestic structure by launching the country's first national league, a semi-professional tournament called the National Football League (NFL). It began with 12 teams spread across two zones (West and East), with matches played at neutral venues. Goal 2010: Gary Lovejoy (left), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Zee Sports, and Gaurav Seth, Vice-President (Marketing), at a press conference to launch the Goal 2010 scheme, in Hyderabad on July 06, 2006. | Photo Credit: K. Gajendran 2006 Popularising the game One of the main challenges the AIFF faced was ensuring that football reached a wider audience. In September 2006, it signed a 10-year television and media contract with Zee Sports to broadcast the upcoming new I-League, along with other AIFF-organised tournaments and select international matches of the Indian national team. 2007 Going pro After 11 seasons of the NFL, the AIFF moved to further professionalise the sport by launching the I-League in 2007. It adopted a more traditional format, where teams played home and away fixtures. 2010 Breakdown of the partnership Despite the 10-year contract, the AIFF terminated the deal in 2010, just four years in, due to differences between the two parties regarding payment and marketing. 2011 Start of the Reliance era After Zee Sports, the AIFF brought Reliance Industries on board. It signed a new 15-year, ₹700 crore deal with Reliance and the International Management Group (IMG). Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Nita Ambani (founding chairperson of the ISL) and Praful Patel, President All India Football Federation during the 3rd season of Indian Super League's Final match between Kerala Blasters FC and Atleico de Kolkata at Nehru stadium in Kochi. (File photo) | Photo Credit: PTI 2013 Birth of the ISL Around the same time, franchise-based leagues were gaining popularity in India, especially following the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Taking a cue from this model, the AIFF, with Reliance's backing, launched the Indian Super League (ISL) on October 21, 2013. 2014 Initial years Despite the ISL's fresh approach to Indian football, it initially lacked official recognition from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA. The I-League remained India's official league, meaning ISL teams were not eligible to qualify for the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup. All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Praful Patel and Sports Minister Vijay Goel launches Indian Women's League in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: PTI 2016 Pitch queens The Indian Women's League (IWL) was launched with six teams to provide a national league for women's football. Earlier, the top competition was the Senior Women's National Championship, the women's equivalent of the Santosh Trophy. IWL winners qualify for the AFC Women's Champions League. 2017 Home stage India made its debut in the the men's edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup as the host but finished bottom of the group, failing to reach the knockouts. 2019 Change in setup After discussions between the AIFF and the AFC on the future roadmap of Indian football, the ISL was granted the status of the premier league competition in the country. This change allowed the ISL champion to represent India in the AFC Champions League playoffs, while the I-League winner earned a spot in the AFC Cup playoffs. After winning the 2022–23 I-League title, Punjab FC became the first team to gain automatic promotion to the ISL 2022 A new addition Following further AFC recommendations, the AIFF announced that from the 2022–23 season, the I-League champion would gain automatic promotion to the ISL without having to pay a participation fee. However, the promoted team would need to meet the national club licensing criteria set by the AIFF. After winning the 2022–23 I-League title, Punjab FC became the first team to gain automatic promotion to the ISL. Meanwhile, India hosted the 2022 edition of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup but once again failed to progress beyond the group stage. The tournament was originally scheduled for 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2023 I nternational woes India made its third AFC Asian Cup appearance since 1996 but once again failed to progress beyond the group stage, as in 2011 and 2019. In the Asian Games, the team's best result since its Golden Era golds in 1951 and 1962 remained a Round of 16 finish — achieved in 2010 and 2022.
India Gazette
37 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Pravasi Sports gains momentum amid India's 2036 Olympics push
New Delhi [India], July 5 (ANI): As India intensifies its global push for the 2036 Olympics, the concept of Pravasi Sports, spearheaded by the Holistic International Pravasi Sports Association (HIPSA), is emerging as a powerful tool to unify the Indian diaspora, according to a release from HIPSA. With India officially nominating Ahmedabad as the host city for the 2036 Olympic Games, this grassroots-to-global strategy could be a game-changer, according to HIPSA. At its core, Pravasi Sports is an ambitious programme launched by HIPSA to reconnect the Indian diaspora with their cultural roots through indigenous sports while also exporting these traditional games to the world. The resounding success of the inaugural Global Indian Pravasi Kabaddi League (GI-PKL) has validated the concept. Diaspora youth, along with their foreign counterparts from multiple countries, trained and proudly competed in a uniquely Indian sport, generating both local excitement and international interest. Now, HIPSA is rapidly expanding its vision. From launching the Global Pravasi Cricket League (GPCL) and the 'Chalo India' Marathon to planning a Pravasi Sports Summit, the organisation is laying down a multi-sport, multi-country calendar of events. The idea is to bring India's sporting identity to the world stage while inviting global Indians to motivate their fellow countrymen to be part of India's journey. Speaking about the vision of Pravasi Sports, HIPSA president Kanthi D Suresh said, 'The timing couldn't be more strategic. As India sets its sights on hosting the 2036 Olympic Games, the creation of a global sporting narrative becomes critical. Pravasi Sports offers India a unique soft power lever, it not only taps into the emotional connect of the diaspora but also projects Indian sports onto the global canvas.' Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his recent address to the diaspora in Trinidad & Tobago, called the Indian community abroad 'India's pride.' With institutional support, international ambition, and cultural relevance, Pravasi Sports is not just an idea whose time has come--it is a strategic necessity on India's path to becoming a true sporting superpower. (ANI)
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
9 wickets in 25 balls! England women suffer massive collapse, still beat India
England women's cricket team secured a crucial five-run victory over India in the third T20I at The Oval on Friday, keeping the five-match series alive at 2-1 in India's favour. The match featured a record-breaking collapse by England and saw Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma reach the milestone of 300 international wickets, becoming only the sixth women's cricketer to achieve this feat. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now England posted a total of 171 runs after a strong opening partnership of 137 runs between Sophia Dunkley and her partner in 15.1 overs. Dunkley's impressive innings of 75 runs off 53 balls, including seven fours and a six, earned her the player-of-the-match award. The match witnessed a remarkable turn of events when Deepti Sharma dismissed Dunkley, triggering an unprecedented collapse in international cricket history. England lost nine wickets in just 25 deliveries, adding only 31 runs during this phase, setting a new record for the fewest balls taken to lose nine wickets in international cricket across both men's and women's formats. Deepti Sharma's bowling figures of 3/27 in four overs helped her join an elite group of women cricketers with 300 or more international wickets. The list includes Jhulan Goswami leading with 355 wickets, followed by Katherine Sciver-Brunt (335), Ellyse Perry (331), Shabnim Ismail (317), and Anisa Mohammed (305). In response to England's total of 171, the Indian team managed to score 166 runs in their allotted 20 overs, falling short by five runs. This defeat marked India's first loss on their ongoing England tour. The match highlighted a unique record from earlier this year during a Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier match in Bangkok. The after reaching 192/0 in 16 overs against Qatar, becoming the first instance in T20I history where a team retired more than two batters in an innings. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This unusual decision by UAE resulted in eight ducks in their innings. Qatar's subsequent collapse for 29 runs brought the total number of ducks in the match to 15, setting a new record for the most ducks in a women's T20I match. The series now moves to Old Trafford in Manchester for the fourth match scheduled for July 9.
