The I-League is the men’s second division of the Indian football league system.
Established in 2007, the I-League was founded as the successor to the National Football League (NFL). The inaugural season began in November that year.
Organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the league was launched as the country’s first ever top-tier professional football league with the objective to increase the player pool for the India national football team.
Dempo SC won the inaugural edition of I-League in 2007-08. Since then, as many as 10 clubs have been crowned champions.
Since its inception, Dempo SC are the most successful team in the competition with three titles.
The likes of Churchill Brothers, Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru FC and Gokulam Kerala have won it twice each.
Salgaocar, Minerva Punjab, Aizawl, Chennai City and RoundGlass Punjab have clinched the I-League once each.
From the 2022-23 season, I-League operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the I-League 2 and at first only promotion system with the Indian Super League (ISL) - the top tier of Indian football.
RoundGlass Punjab (currently known as Punjab FC) won the previous edition of I-League in the 2022-23 season. They pipped second-placed Sreenidi Deccan by 10 points to clinch their maiden I-League. With the win, they secured promotion to ISL.
Mohammedan SC are the new I-League champions as they qualify for ISL 2024-25 season. Get I-League winners list.
I-League winners list: Know all the champions from 2007-2024
|
Season |
Champion |
Runner-up |
Third Place |
Teams |
|
2007-08 |
Dempo |
Churchill Brothers |
JCT |
10 |
|
2008-09 |
Churchill Brothers |
Mohun Bagan |
Sporting Goa |
12 |
|
2009-10 |
Dempo |
Churchill Brothers |
Pune FC |
14 |
|
2010-11 |
Salgaocar |
East Bengal |
Dempo |
14 |
|
2011-12 |
Dempo |
East Bengal |
Churchill Brothers |
14 |
|
2012-13 |
Churchill Brothers |
Pune FC |
East Bengal |
14 |
|
2013-14 |
Bengaluru FC |
East Bengal |
Salgaocar |
13 |
|
2014-15 |
Mohun Bagan |
Bengaluru FC |
Royal Wahingdoh |
11 |
|
2015-16 |
Bengaluru FC |
Mohun Bagan |
East Bengal |
9 |
|
2016-17 |
Aizawl FC |
Mohun Bagan |
East Bengal |
10 |
|
2017-18 |
Minerva Punjab |
NEROCA |
Mohun Bagan |
10 |
|
2018-19 |
Chennai City |
East Bengal |
Real Kashmir |
11 |
|
2019-20 |
Mohun Bagan |
Not Awarded |
11 |
|
|
2020-21 |
Gokulam Kerala |
Churchill Brothers |
TRAU |
11 |
|
2021-22 |
Gokulam Kerala |
Mohammedan SC |
Sreenidi Deccan |
13 |
|
2022-23 |
RoundGlass Punjab |
Sreenidi Deccan |
Gokulam Kerala |
12 |
|
2023-24 |
Mohammedan SC |
Sreenidi Deccan |
Real Kashmir |
13 |
Most successful teams in I-League: Titles won by each team
|
Club |
Titles |
Winning season(s) |
|
Dempo |
3 |
2007-08, 2009-10, 2011-12 |
|
Churchill Brothers |
2 |
2008-09, 2012-13 |
|
Mohun Bagan |
2 |
2014-15, 2019-20 |
|
Bengaluru FC |
2 |
2013-14, 2015-16 |
|
Gokulam Kerala |
2 |
2020-21, 2021-22 |
|
Salgaocar |
1 |
2010-11 |
|
Minerva Punjab |
1 |
2017-18 |
|
Aizawl |
1 |
2016-17 |
|
Chennai City |
1 |
2018-19 |
|
RoundGlass Punjab |
1 |
2022-23 |
|
Mohammedan SC |
1 |
2023-24 |
Photo credit: Alamy
