I-League has officially been rebranded as the Indian Football League, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced on Thursday.
In a statement posted on its official X account, the AIFF confirmed that its Executive Committee approved the change during an online meeting. The new name will come into effect from the 2025-26 season, marking a significant shift for the country’s second division competition.
“The All India Football Federation’s Executive Committee, in an online meeting on Thursday, approved the rebranding of the I-League to the Indian Football League from the 2025-26 season,” the AIFF stated.
Launched in 2007 as India’s top-tier football league, the competition was relegated to second division status in the 2022-23 season. With the upcoming campaign scheduled to kick off on February 21, league officials and club owners had already floated the proposal for a name change during a press conference last month.
Among those backing the move was Arshad Shawl, owner of Real Kashmir FC. He said the decision was aimed at reshaping the competition’s image and restoring confidence around it.
“There has been a negativity surrounding the I-League, so we wanted to usher in a new era,” Shawl told Sportstar. “We wanted to give it a shape, a structure. This has been a league that’s been around for many years, this is the league that created the club culture in India. Considering the issues we have faced in Indian football recently, we wanted to give it a professional look.”
The AIFF also confirmed structural developments alongside the rebranding. “The Committee further ratified the charter for the Governing Council of the Indian Super League and the Indian Football League,” the federation added.
For the 2025-26 season, the five-member Governing Council of the Indian Football League will include representatives from Gokulam Kerala FC, Real Kashmir FC, Rajasthan United FC, Diamond Harbour FC and Shillong Lajong FC, ensuring zonal representation across the country.
The rebranding signals a fresh chapter for one of India’s longest-running domestic competitions, with stakeholders hoping the new identity will bring renewed credibility, structure and professionalism to the league as it prepares for the upcoming season.
