The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has dealt a major boost to the Indian Super League (ISL) by ruling that its franchise-based teams will be eligible to play in the AFC Cup from next year.
The governing body said in a statement on Tuesday that the winners of the tournament — which is backed by India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani — are to go into the continental competition’s qualifying round.
It said a committee had acted on a recommendation from the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which is grappling with how best to accommodate two rival leagues — the ISL and the older I-League.
Photo: AP
“The committee approved that the I-League champions will play in the AFC Champions League play-off round and the ISL Champions will play in the AFC Cup preliminary stage ... from 2018,” the statement said.
The ISL, whose city-based franchise format is similar to cricket’s Indian Premier League, has grown in popularity since it was launched in 2014, outstripping the 10-year-old I-League in broadcast ratings.
It is adding two new teams to this year’s event, bringing the number of clubs to 10, including one side who have defected from the I-League.
Bengaluru, two-time I-League winners, and Jamshedpur are to be the new franchises when the next season begins in October.
They are backed by major companies — the Jindal South West conglomerate and Tata Steel respectively.
There have long been reports of a possible merger between the two competitions, but the AIFF has played down such talk in recent months.
The AFC said in its statement that the ISL and the I-League would run simultaneously for six or seven months this year and next year and that as a “short-term bridging solution” it was giving “special dispensation” to the ISL.
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