List of Indian football champions
Encyclopedia
The Indian football champions are the winners of the highest league in Indian football, which is currently the I-League
.
At first the first Indian football league, the National Football League
(commonly known as the NFL) was an association football league competition in India
which was organised into three divisions. The Premier Division of the league was first introduced in 1996, though the country already had a long history in the sport thanks to the likes of the IFA Shield
and the Federation Cup
. The league though is now transformed into the I-League
and continues with that name. The change was supposed to bring more popularity to Indian Football. The first league season of I-League
consisted of eight teams from the NFL plus two promoted teams from the former Division Two.
The 1996–97 Indian National Football League
was the first season of the NFL and ended with JCT Mills FC being crowned champions. The NFL era though saw Kolkata clubs East Bengal Club
and Mohun Bagan AC had the most championships with three respectively. The I-League
era though is different though as all the champions of the league come from Goa
.
Currently the teams with the most championships in I-League
is Dempo SC who have won two championships in the league. They are also the teams with the most championships overall (2 in I-League + 2 in NFL = 4 titles overall).
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
.
At first the first Indian football league, the National Football League
National Football League (India)
The National Football League was an association football league competition in India between 1996 and 2007 which was organised into three divisions. The league is now transformed into the I-League and continues with that name...
(commonly known as the NFL) was an association football league competition in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
which was organised into three divisions. The Premier Division of the league was first introduced in 1996, though the country already had a long history in the sport thanks to the likes of the IFA Shield
IFA Shield
The IFA Shield is an annual football competition organized by the Indian Football Association. It is the fourth oldest club cup competition in the world after the English and Scottish FA cup's and the Durand Cup.-Results of IFA Shield:...
and the Federation Cup
Federation Cup (India)
The Federation Cup is an annual knockout style club football tournament in India. It has started in 1977. From its inception till I-League has been started in 1997 , it was the most prestigious national level club football tournament in India...
. The league though is now transformed into the I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
and continues with that name. The change was supposed to bring more popularity to Indian Football. The first league season of I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
consisted of eight teams from the NFL plus two promoted teams from the former Division Two.
The 1996–97 Indian National Football League
1996–97 Indian National Football League
1996 saw the first national football championship in India take place, known locally as the Philips National League.12 teams took part in the competition that was played in two stages; a Group Stage featuring two groups of 6 teams and a Championship stage featuring the top four from each group.The...
was the first season of the NFL and ended with JCT Mills FC being crowned champions. The NFL era though saw Kolkata clubs East Bengal Club
East Bengal Club
Kingfisher East Bengal Football Club are an Indian professional football club based at Kolkata. They are known to be one of the best footballing sides in India. They have won the most IFA Shields in Indian Football and are tied for the most National Football League and Durand Cup championships with...
and Mohun Bagan AC had the most championships with three respectively. The I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
era though is different though as all the champions of the league come from Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
.
Currently the teams with the most championships in I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
is Dempo SC who have won two championships in the league. They are also the teams with the most championships overall (2 in I-League + 2 in NFL = 4 titles overall).
National Football League
| Year | Champions (number of titles) |
Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 1996–97 Indian National Football League 1996 saw the first national football championship in India take place, known locally as the Philips National League.12 teams took part in the competition that was played in two stages; a Group Stage featuring two groups of 6 teams and a Championship stage featuring the top four from each group.The... |
JCT FC (1) | Churchill Brothers SC | Kingfisher East Bengal FC |
| 1997-98 | Mohun Bagan AC (1) | Kingfisher East Bengal FC | Salgaocar SC |
| 1998-99 | Salgaocar SC (1) | Kingfisher East Bengal FC | Churchill Brothers SC |
| 1999-2000 | Mohun Bagan AC (2) | Churchill Brothers SC | Salgaocar SC |
| 2000-01 | Kingfisher East Bengal FC (1) | Mohun Bagan AC | Churchill Brothers SC |
| 2001-02 | Mohun Bagan AC (3) | Churchill Brothers SC | Vasco SC |
| 2002-03 | Kingfisher East Bengal FC (2) | Salgaocar SC | Vasco SC |
| 2003-04 | Kingfisher East Bengal FC (3) | Dempo SC | Mahindra United Mahindra United Mahindra United Football Club was a professional football club based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Their home ground was the Cooperage Ground in Mumbai... |
| 2004-05 | Dempo SC (1) | Sporting Clube de Goa Sporting Clube de Goa Sporting Clube de Goa is a association football club based in the Indian state of Goa who currently participate in the I-League which is India's number one league competition in the country... |
Kingfisher East Bengal FC |
| 2005-06 | Mahindra United Mahindra United Mahindra United Football Club was a professional football club based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Their home ground was the Cooperage Ground in Mumbai... (1) |
Kingfisher East Bengal FC | Mohun Bagan AC |
| 2006-07 | Dempo SC (2) | JCT FC | Mahindra United Mahindra United Mahindra United Football Club was a professional football club based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Their home ground was the Cooperage Ground in Mumbai... |
I-League
| Year | Champions (number of titles) |
Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 I-League 2007-08 The I-League season 2007-08 kicked off on 24 November 2007 at the Fatorda Stadium, Margao, Goa. The first match of the season was played between the two Goan clubs Dempo and Salgaocar.... |
Dempo SC (3) | Churchill Brothers SC | JCT FC |
| 2008-09 I-League 2008-09 The I-League 2008-2009 season began on September 26, 2008 and finished on April 16, 2009 with a break in December for the Federation Cup and Durand Cup. Most games this season were played on Saturday's and Sunday's to attract larger crowds... |
Churchill Brothers SC (1) | Mohun Bagan AC | Sporting Clube de Goa Sporting Clube de Goa Sporting Clube de Goa is a association football club based in the Indian state of Goa who currently participate in the I-League which is India's number one league competition in the country... |
| 2009-10 | Dempo SC (4) | Churchill Brothers SC | Pune FC Pune FC Pune Football Club is an Indian football club based in Pune. The club was established in 2007, and gained promotion to the I-League in the 2009-10 season. Pune F.C. one of the most professional football club in India is also known as one of the first football club to not follow the Institutional... |
| 2010-11 | Salgaocar SC (2) | Kingfisher East Bengal FC | Dempo SC |
Total Wins
Seven clubs have been Indian champions. Clubs in italics are no longer active; years in italics indicate old NFL seasons.| Club | Winners | Runners-Up | Winning Seasons | Runners-Up Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dempo SC | 4 | 1 | 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010 | 2004 |
| Kingfisher East Bengal FC | 3 | 4 | 2001, 2003, 2004 | 1998, 1999, 2006, 2011 |
| Mohun Bagan AC | 3 | 2 | 1998, 2000, 2002 | 2001, 2009 |
| Salgaocar SC | 2 | 1 | 1999, 2011 | 2003 |
| Churchill Brothers SC | 1 | 5 | 2009 | 1997, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2010 |
| JCT FC | 1 | 1 | 1997 | 2007 |
| Mahindra United Mahindra United Mahindra United Football Club was a professional football club based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Their home ground was the Cooperage Ground in Mumbai... |
1 | 0 | 2006 | |