The I-League is back, but it’s not the same. Not just because it will be played across four venues in Kolkata and inside a bio-secure bubbl...
The I-League is back, but it’s not the same. Not just because it will be played across four venues in Kolkata and inside a bio-secure bubble, but because in its second year as Indian football’s second-tier competition, it is left further poorer after the departure of Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. Their presence gave the competition added significance despite the loss of its premier status.
For a second-tier league, the main tangible reward is also missing. There is no promotion to the top tier for the winners even as the threat of relegation remains. The promotion to the ISL will only kick in from the 2022-’23 campaign.
The All India Football Federation thus in a special arrangement with AFC has added the extra incentive of an AFC Cup group stage slot for the I-League champions, a privilege otherwise offered only to the runner-up in the league stage of ISL.
As for the financial rewards, the prize money worth Rs 2.25 crore for the top four teams is a lot lesser than what a team spends on its operations on average. The clubs though would get some relief from the fact that the costs incurred by them this season would be considerably lesser...
