Praful Patel, President, All India Football Federation (Photo courtesy: AIFF Media)
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Praful Patel met representatives of I-League sides Mohun Bagan AC and East Bengal Club in Mumbai on Saturday (May 6, 2017) to discuss their future and the franchise contract offered to both sides to join the Indian Super League (ISL).
Patel informed the representatives that the revised roadmap of Indian football has not yet been finalised and before a final decision is taken, stakeholders including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) would be consulted according to a release by the AIFF. Indian football has made rapid progress over the last few years and it’s important for AIFF to take a long term view. The AIFF has been in discussion with AFC and will do what’s in the interest of Indian football.
The ISL is supposed to become India’s top tier of league football in the coming seasons. The discussions on the future of club football in India has reached a new climax with Aizawl FC winning the I-League, the current top tier in the country, and facing a “relegation” to the 2nd Division as part of a possible merger of the ISL and I-League.