All you need to know about the football league structure in Gujarat
The new football stadium that has come up in Ahmedabad is expected to open limitless possibilities for Gujarat to make its mark in Indian football...
Gujarat has not been one of India's hotbeds of football in the past. The state did not have a proper football stadium until recently and does not have a single football club representative at the top-tier.
Despite their lack of representation at the club level, the work put in by the Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG) has earned the state success in age-group categories. The SAG, along with the Gujarat State Football Association led by president Dhanraj Nathwani and secretary Gulab Chauhan have plans to bring the state of Gujarat into the spotlight of Indian football.
State League
At the state level, Gujarat FA are organizing several age-group tournaments. Gujarat has also been conducting state-level championships at regular intervals.
Speaking to Goal, Gujarat FA secretary Gulab Chauhan revealed plans for a separate Gujarat League which would then act as the main state league.
"We are conducting a coaching camp for 10-15 days and then we are sending our state team for the national participation. We are planning to have a separate Gujarat League also," said Chauhan.
Youth Leagues and Women's Football
When it comes to youth leagues, Gujarat's strength is the Sports Authority of Gujarat. The U-15 team of SAG participated in the Nike Premier Cup (U-15 Youth League) this year and U-18 team put on a good display in the U-18 league. The influx of talent is expected to rise in the coming years.
"The Sports Authority of Gujarat has a very good academy. We drew with Minerva Punjab. 100 per cent, we are improving," claims Chauhan.
The Bhavnagar district in Gujarat organized the state's first officially recognized baby league recently and its success has encouraged the other district association members to take up the project as well.
"Based on the baby league organized in Bhavnagar, most of the districts are ready to organize baby leagues in the coming year. In the next annual general body meeting coming up in July, we will discuss baby leagues. Then we will have baby leagues for each and every district association," said Chauhan.
One area that has borne fruit for Gujarat is women's football. Baroda FC were part of the qualifying rounds of the 2018 Indian Women's League (IWL 2018) and the U-14 girls' team clinched Bronze in the Khelo India national tournament.
Plans for the Future
The TransStadia, the newly built stadium in Ahmedabad has solved one of the biggest stumbling blocks that Gujarat FA has faced, according to the secretary of the association Gulab Chauhan. "Now we have a new stadium that has come up in Ahmedabad. We conducted the zonal round of the Santosh Trophy there. They have also started an academy recently.
"Previously, we did not have a stadium for football. Without a stadium, it is very difficult to organize tournaments. The first question AIFF asks is 'how many stadiums do you have?'. Now a stadium has come up and it is a good sign for us. We are now planning to organize more and more tournaments here because we have the infrastructure."
Gujarat FA has 31 district associations working under them and not all are well-equipped with the right infrastructure. With the help of recently appointed president Dhanraj Nathwani, Chauhan believes the sport will be able to reach the rural areas in the state.
"Our president, Mr Dhanraj Nathwani, is from Reliance. He is really interested in developing football in Gujarat. He has lent all kinds of support to the association and is ready to develop football in rural areas."
Lastly, Chauhan also credited the contributions of the Sports Authority of Gujarat and is looking to make full use of the tie-up that the state association has established with the academy.
"The Sports Authority of Gujarat has joined hands with our association. We will organize championships together. We have a plan to organize a U-17 national championship in Rajkot, maybe in the month of October-November. The AIFF has allotted the tournament to Gujarat.
"The SAG has built up 8-10 football fields with a hostel. On request, they will allow us to use it as well."
Certainly, the state associations need to do much more when it comes to developing football in the state.
With an aim to create a sports culture from an early age in a systematic manner, the All Manipur Football Association has approved FC Imphal City Academy, Konga, to conduct the Manipur Baby League 2018-19 for players between the age group of six to 12 years.
The baby league, which is the brainchild of the All India Football Federation, surfaced during the 5th International Convention on Football Business, organised by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, held in New Delhi in January.
According to the guidelines, the baby league will have both boys and girls and focus on infusing the basic concepts of the game with a three-day training in a week and a league match every Sunday. The baby league has been started in a few select places in India, including Manipur.
Manipur has been picked by the AIFF and asked to forward academies recognised by federation to conduct the Manipur Baby League.
The All Manipur Football Association listed four academies including FC Imphal City, BMSC Tabungkhok, FCI Kwakeithel and Thangmeiband Athletic Uni-on.
All Manipur Football Association secretary in charge L. Jyotirmoy Roy said, "The AIFF approved FC Imphal City, Kongba, and we have learnt that one more academy is set to get approval to hold the Manipur Baby League."
He said FC Imphal City, Kongba, was rated with a second star by the AIFF during inspection on May 16.
AIFF general secretary Kaushal Das had earlier said the baby league is a player development initiative by the federation to develop technical and psychological development with respect to football which would help the future of Indian football get a proper structure.
All you need to know about the football league structure in Bihar
Bihar has a state football championship that is held between November and December in addition to district leagues....
The Bihar Football Association (BFA) was formed in 1968. Football was popular only in a few districts of the state initially but has since spread to all the 38 districts.
"Bihar has 38 districts and four Railway units," BFA general secretary Imtiaz Husain explained to Goal. "There are more than 600 clubs for men and for women, there are around 100 clubs from 28 districts which participate in the women's league."
The BFA, along with its district associations, feel that they have infrastructural challenges when it comes to organising tournaments.
"We have grounds in Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Motihari, Begusarai, Munger and Jamalpur. We face some problems in rural areas where grounds are not up to date. Without government support, it is a bit difficult as we do not have any sponsors. The BFA is somehow running the show," Husain stated.
"As part of our future plans, we are planning to develop the grassroots which will involve inter-school matches in various districts," he continued.
"We have more than 200 AIFF (All India Football Federation) 'D' License coaches, around 15 'C' License coaches. This year we are planning to organise the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) 'C' License course in our state. But we have a lot of national referees."
State & District Leagues
The main league is the state football championship or also known as the Moin-ul-Haq Cup which is usually held between the months of November and December.
The district leagues begin from around the first week of June and run till around the end of October or early November. Thereafter, the winners participate in the state football championship or the "Moin-ul-Haq Cup".
"The clubs participate in the local league matches in the 38 districts and the winners participate in the state league," Husain clarified.
Raj Milk FC and BRC Danapur are two of the most renowned Patna-based clubs who play in the senior division also field teams in the age-group tournaments. Patna has three stadiums - the Patliputra Sports Complex, Moin-ul-Haq Stadium and Jagjeevan Stadium - where football leagues and tournaments are hosted.
In the senior division, five foreigners can be registered while three can be fielded. The district leagues are played in a knock-out format.
Youth leagues
The youth leagues of the state are divided into two categories, namely Junior (U-15) and Sub-junior (U-19). They are held in four zones in the state. The association also sends the state teams to various age group national level tournaments and mainly utilise the youth leagues for player selections.
Other tournaments
"Apart from the state football championship, we have open tournaments in16-to-18 district and all-India tournaments every year like the Bihar Cup or the Karpuri Thakur Cup," informed the BFA general secretary.
"The All India Chaturbhuj Cup has completed 26 years and the Bernard Shield is also another traditional all India tournament," he added.
Teams such as Mohun Bagan, JCT Phagwara Aryan Club Kolkata, Indian Air Force Delhi and SAIL Football Academy Bokaro have participated in the Chaturbhuj Cup that is jointly organised by the Sri Chaturbhuj Ram Memorial Society and Muzaffarpur Sporting Club, and conducted under the aegis of BFA.
Women's football structure
"In the women's section this year we are planning to organise club league matches. This year, we will kick off the Bihar women's soccer league and the winner will qualify for the Indian Women's League," Husain revealed.
The teams will be divided into two groups with matches played over two legs before two-legged quarter-finals and the semi-finals. The final, however, will have only a single leg.
There are also 'Sukanya' football clubs in Bihar, set up throughout rural areas of the state to help fight child marriage by NGO organisations. Girls join the clubs to desist being married off by parents.
How a Meghalaya football league is taking baby steps towards life goals
In football-crazy Northeast India, a group of children kickstart Meghalaya’s very own baby football league.
As dusk settles on a typical Shillong Saturday, football fans stream into the town’s Polo Grounds parking lot to watch what the world is watching: the FIFA World Cup 2018. An evening of euphoric gesticulations and soul-crushing disappointment beckons. But it is not the only footballing affair that has taken centre-stage in Meghalaya’s capital. A few hours earlier, another story unfolded just across the street, on the turf of the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex.
Earlier that morning Meghalaya’s debut Baby League, had its fourth match-day — an all-kids’ affair with non-stop action. The really young ones waddled after the ball in a swarm, kicking at will. At that level, there are no goalkeepers — just two posts on each end of the playing field. Up the age ladder, the jamboree gets replaced with the game’s symmetry: defence lines get distinct, skills come to the forefront, and so does competition.
The Baby League has 12 teams: Wahlakhiat Bulls, Nongthymmai Scorpions, JNS Jaguars, among others. (Source: Meghalaya Football Association)
The Baby League, brainchild of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), is a league format football competition for ages 4 to 13. A pilot league was started in Mumbai and Pune last year. The first Meghalaya edition is being organized by the state’s Football Association, in collaboration with technical partners AIFF and main sponsor, Tata Trusts. Later this month, Bengaluru is expected to start their version, and talks are on for an Orissa Baby League as well. In the Northeast, Mizoram, also hosts its own, the Young Legends League in Champai— an independent initiative between the Mizoram Football Association and a private organisation, not related to the AIFF league.
“What was lacking for grassroots football players was a competitive platform. The Baby League provides this platform for kids at a young age,” says Arki Nongrum, the 31-year-old CEO of the Meghalaya Football Association (MFA), “If you train each and every day but you do not play anyone competitively, it makes no sense.”
Matches are shorter than the standard duration: 10 minutes per half for the youngest age group while 25 minutes for the the teenagers. (Source: Meghalaya Football Association)
So, on every Saturday and select school holidays, dressed in jersey colours inspired by squads around the world, the “babies” play ball. The Baby League has 12 teams: Wahlakhiat Bulls, Nongthymmai Scorpions, JNS Jaguars, among others. Apart from their assigned animal icons, team names include the school, institution or locations they represent.
On the Saturday we visited, the match day program included 5 match-ups involving 10 of the 12 participating teams. Matches are shorter than the standard duration: 10 minutes per half for the youngest age group while the teenagers slug it out for 25 minutes each half. On the sidelines, there were excited parents cheering their kids on, many recording the action on their phones, elbowing other spectators in the process, as they tried to get the best footage.
The League has as many as 200 registrations for some of the teams. (Source: Meghalaya Football Association)
“It is a good beginning,” says L.A. Kharmawphlang, whose 12-year-old twin sons play for the Touchline NE Cubs, “They already train but to actually play in a tournament makes a big difference. It makes them team players.” Michael Lyngdoh, whose nephews play for the ENE Falcons, adds that the Baby League is “a welcome opportunity for young children to improve their talent, and resist distracting temptations like TV and other gadgets.”
An event that will run for six months, the Baby League is longer than the established ISL and I-Leagues, the top two divisions of professional football in the country. Each team plays more than forty games during the course of the league. For most, the Baby League is more than a fun game of football. It is about equal opportunity too — be it in terms of gender, economy or just representation.
“It is mandatory for each team to register at least 10% female players,” says Arki, adding that the hope is to establish a dedicated all-girls league in the future. On Saturday’s game, the senior team (ages 12-13) for JNS Jaguars was dominated by girls. Marilyn Rapthap, whose 13-year-old daughter was starting for the Jaguars, says, “Such opportunities for young athletes never existed before. I think this league will really help children develop their talent.”
It is mandatory for each team to register at least 10% female players. (Source: Meghalaya Football Association)
Shanbor Manar and Hamarsingh Manar are from Wahlakhiat, a village 60 kms away from Shillong and are part of the coaching staff for the Wahlakhiat Bulls. Shanbor remembers how back home it was impossible to practice in their village ground. “It was too small and on a slope,” he says, “The Baby League includes squads from villages and towns outside Shillong, and they still manage to take to the level turf with aplomb.”
The League has as many as 200 registrations for some of the teams, a great sign for the future of the tournament. “Teams of the Baby League rotate players to give everyone a chance,” says Working Syiem, who coaches the Nongthymmai Scorpions.
For Indian football to succeed, a development model that ‘catches them young’ is the only way forward. (Source: Meghalaya Football Association)
Meghalaya’s Baby League is turning out to be much more than a photo op for adorable moments. Arki stresses on the long-term benefits of the initiative: “It ties into a much larger picture. Apart from giving footballers a competitive platform to hone their skills, we hope to lay the foundation for a vibrant sports culture by involving parents and communities,” he says.
For Indian football to succeed, a development model that ‘catches them young’ is the only way forward. And in Shillong’s Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex, amidst the delightful squeals of children at play, there are some sure signs of genius.
All you need to know about the football league structure in Sikkim
The Sikkim Football Association (SFA) has been hosting the Sikkim Premier Division League which has revolutionised the local game...
The mountainous state of Sikkim has produced many talents for the nation, most notably former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia.
Despite a population fewer than 7 Lakhs, the Sikkim Football Association (SFA) has its hands full in organising tournaments, given the beautiful game is the number one sport in the region.
Supported not only by its football-crazy Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and also other Sikkimese players, who have settled in other parts of the country, football remains widely a cross-community affair in the state.
State League
Presently, there are 25 semi-professional clubs which make up the football league structure in Sikkim. Segregated into three divisions, the bottom league - The SFA 'C' division had 12 teams competing in the 2018-19 season. Divided into four groups with single league round robin and knockouts, the finalists are promoted to the 'B' division.
The 2018-19 SFA 'B' Division was a five-team single league round robin affair. The winners and runners-up are promoted to the Sikkim Premier Division League next season. The bottom two teams are relegated to the 'C' division.
The top-most tier, Sikkim Premier Division League, began in 2011 and its 2018-19 edition started on 21 July. Defending champions United Sikkim FC with State Sports Academy, Boy's Club, Pakyong United FC, Gangtok Himalayan FC, Aakraman XI alongside new entrants SAI Namchi and Unicorn FC make up the eight-team league.
Slated to go on for a month, it will be a single league round robin system with the bottom two teams relegated to the 'B' division. All matches will be played at the Paljor Stadium, Gangtok.
The SFA also hosts three knockout tournaments. The SFA Super Cup is played between the top four in the Premier Division League at the end of the season. The Independence Day Football Tournament is a midseason knockout tournament which features a mix of Sikkim-based and other teams from the North-East region.
The All India Sikkim Governor's Gold Cup, one of the most prestigious invitational tournaments, was founded in 1986 and various teams from different parts of India as well as international clubs have taken part in it. Kolkata's Mohun Bagan are the most successful team with ten titles and are also the defending champions.
District leagues
Sikkim has only four districts out of which, North Sikkim district has a population density of 10 per square kilometre. There are no intra or interdistrict leagues but Sikkim has a rich culture in community football, similar to that of Sunday Leagues in the UK.
"There are plans to organise an intra-district club tournament this season. All four winners will then get to join the 'C' division so it becomes a 16-team league from 2019-20," revealed Arjun Rai, Joint Secretary, SFA.
Youth leagues and 'Baby League'
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) passed on a directive to each state association to initiate grassroots programme in the form of Baby Leagues and the SFA have been mulling options.
"This year, after the month of August, we are planning to organise Baby Leagues", promised Rai.
The SFA for the very first time organised a junior tournament last season. "We did a U-15 knockout tournament with ten teams but it remains to be seen how we can better it this season", said Rai.
The 2017 SFA U-15 Boys Knockout cup was won by North Sikkim FA Mangan, which hails from the sparsely inhabited North Sikkim district.
Recently, Sikkim Himalayan Sporting Club secured a 2-star academy accreditation from AIFF. This allows the club to field teams in the I-League U-13, U-15 and U-18 tournaments.
Women's football structure
Like most states in India, Sikkim lacks a professional set up for the women's game but 'plans are underway' to organise one, promises the state association.
"There have been various open football tournaments in the village level but we don't have a league structure yet. This season we are definitely organising a women's league", stated Rai.
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All you need to know about the football league structure in Gujarat
Gujarat has not been one of India's hotbeds of football in the past. The state did not have a proper football stadium until recently and does not have a single football club representative at the top-tier.
Despite their lack of representation at the club level, the work put in by the Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG) has earned the state success in age-group categories. The SAG, along with the Gujarat State Football Association led by president Dhanraj Nathwani and secretary Gulab Chauhan have plans to bring the state of Gujarat into the spotlight of Indian football.
State League
At the state level, Gujarat FA are organizing several age-group tournaments. Gujarat has also been conducting state-level championships at regular intervals.
Speaking to Goal, Gujarat FA secretary Gulab Chauhan revealed plans for a separate Gujarat League which would then act as the main state league.
"We are conducting a coaching camp for 10-15 days and then we are sending our state team for the national participation. We are planning to have a separate Gujarat League also," said Chauhan.
Youth Leagues and Women's Football
When it comes to youth leagues, Gujarat's strength is the Sports Authority of Gujarat. The U-15 team of SAG participated in the Nike Premier Cup (U-15 Youth League) this year and U-18 team put on a good display in the U-18 league. The influx of talent is expected to rise in the coming years.
"The Sports Authority of Gujarat has a very good academy. We drew with Minerva Punjab. 100 per cent, we are improving," claims Chauhan.
The Bhavnagar district in Gujarat organized the state's first officially recognized baby league recently and its success has encouraged the other district association members to take up the project as well.
"Based on the baby league organized in Bhavnagar, most of the districts are ready to organize baby leagues in the coming year. In the next annual general body meeting coming up in July, we will discuss baby leagues. Then we will have baby leagues for each and every district association," said Chauhan.
One area that has borne fruit for Gujarat is women's football. Baroda FC were part of the qualifying rounds of the 2018 Indian Women's League (IWL 2018) and the U-14 girls' team clinched Bronze in the Khelo India national tournament.
Plans for the Future
The TransStadia, the newly built stadium in Ahmedabad has solved one of the biggest stumbling blocks that Gujarat FA has faced, according to the secretary of the association Gulab Chauhan. "Now we have a new stadium that has come up in Ahmedabad. We conducted the zonal round of the Santosh Trophy there. They have also started an academy recently.
"Previously, we did not have a stadium for football. Without a stadium, it is very difficult to organize tournaments. The first question AIFF asks is 'how many stadiums do you have?'. Now a stadium has come up and it is a good sign for us. We are now planning to organize more and more tournaments here because we have the infrastructure."
Gujarat FA has 31 district associations working under them and not all are well-equipped with the right infrastructure. With the help of recently appointed president Dhanraj Nathwani, Chauhan believes the sport will be able to reach the rural areas in the state.
"Our president, Mr Dhanraj Nathwani, is from Reliance. He is really interested in developing football in Gujarat. He has lent all kinds of support to the association and is ready to develop football in rural areas."
Lastly, Chauhan also credited the contributions of the Sports Authority of Gujarat and is looking to make full use of the tie-up that the state association has established with the academy.
"The Sports Authority of Gujarat has joined hands with our association. We will organize championships together. We have a plan to organize a U-17 national championship in Rajkot, maybe in the month of October-November. The AIFF has allotted the tournament to Gujarat.
"The SAG has built up 8-10 football fields with a hostel. On request, they will allow us to use it as well."
Certainly, the state associations need to do much more when it comes to developing football in the state.
All you need to know about the football league structure in Goa
Soccer league for young ones
With an aim to create a sports culture from an early age in a systematic manner, the All Manipur Football Association has approved FC Imphal City Academy, Konga, to conduct the Manipur Baby League 2018-19 for players between the age group of six to 12 years.
The baby league, which is the brainchild of the All India Football Federation, surfaced during the 5th International Convention on Football Business, organised by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, held in New Delhi in January.
According to the guidelines, the baby league will have both boys and girls and focus on infusing the basic concepts of the game with a three-day training in a week and a league match every Sunday. The baby league has been started in a few select places in India, including Manipur.
Manipur has been picked by the AIFF and asked to forward academies recognised by federation to conduct the Manipur Baby League.
The All Manipur Football Association listed four academies including FC Imphal City, BMSC Tabungkhok, FCI Kwakeithel and Thangmeiband Athletic Uni-on.
All Manipur Football Association secretary in charge L. Jyotirmoy Roy said, "The AIFF approved FC Imphal City, Kongba, and we have learnt that one more academy is set to get approval to hold the Manipur Baby League."
He said FC Imphal City, Kongba, was rated with a second star by the AIFF during inspection on May 16.
AIFF general secretary Kaushal Das had earlier said the baby league is a player development initiative by the federation to develop technical and psychological development with respect to football which would help the future of Indian football get a proper structure.
All you need to know about the football league structure in Bihar
The Bihar Football Association (BFA) was formed in 1968. Football was popular only in a few districts of the state initially but has since spread to all the 38 districts.
"Bihar has 38 districts and four Railway units," BFA general secretary Imtiaz Husain explained to Goal. "There are more than 600 clubs for men and for women, there are around 100 clubs from 28 districts which participate in the women's league."
The BFA, along with its district associations, feel that they have infrastructural challenges when it comes to organising tournaments.
"We have grounds in Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Motihari, Begusarai, Munger and Jamalpur. We face some problems in rural areas where grounds are not up to date. Without government support, it is a bit difficult as we do not have any sponsors. The BFA is somehow running the show," Husain stated.
"As part of our future plans, we are planning to develop the grassroots which will involve inter-school matches in various districts," he continued.
"We have more than 200 AIFF (All India Football Federation) 'D' License coaches, around 15 'C' License coaches. This year we are planning to organise the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) 'C' License course in our state. But we have a lot of national referees."
State & District Leagues
The main league is the state football championship or also known as the Moin-ul-Haq Cup which is usually held between the months of November and December.
The district leagues begin from around the first week of June and run till around the end of October or early November. Thereafter, the winners participate in the state football championship or the "Moin-ul-Haq Cup".
"The clubs participate in the local league matches in the 38 districts and the winners participate in the state league," Husain clarified.
Raj Milk FC and BRC Danapur are two of the most renowned Patna-based clubs who play in the senior division also field teams in the age-group tournaments. Patna has three stadiums - the Patliputra Sports Complex, Moin-ul-Haq Stadium and Jagjeevan Stadium - where football leagues and tournaments are hosted.
In the senior division, five foreigners can be registered while three can be fielded. The district leagues are played in a knock-out format.
Youth leagues
The youth leagues of the state are divided into two categories, namely Junior (U-15) and Sub-junior (U-19). They are held in four zones in the state. The association also sends the state teams to various age group national level tournaments and mainly utilise the youth leagues for player selections.
Other tournaments
"Apart from the state football championship, we have open tournaments in16-to-18 district and all-India tournaments every year like the Bihar Cup or the Karpuri Thakur Cup," informed the BFA general secretary.
"The All India Chaturbhuj Cup has completed 26 years and the Bernard Shield is also another traditional all India tournament," he added.
Teams such as Mohun Bagan, JCT Phagwara Aryan Club Kolkata, Indian Air Force Delhi and SAIL Football Academy Bokaro have participated in the Chaturbhuj Cup that is jointly organised by the Sri Chaturbhuj Ram Memorial Society and Muzaffarpur Sporting Club, and conducted under the aegis of BFA.
Women's football structure
"In the women's section this year we are planning to organise club league matches. This year, we will kick off the Bihar women's soccer league and the winner will qualify for the Indian Women's League," Husain revealed.
The teams will be divided into two groups with matches played over two legs before two-legged quarter-finals and the semi-finals. The final, however, will have only a single leg.
There are also 'Sukanya' football clubs in Bihar, set up throughout rural areas of the state to help fight child marriage by NGO organisations. Girls join the clubs to desist being married off by parents.
The credit goes to goal.com and its journalists...I have only collated them in this thread
How a Meghalaya football league is taking baby steps towards life goals
In football-crazy Northeast India, a group of children kickstart Meghalaya’s very own baby football league.
As dusk settles on a typical Shillong Saturday, football fans stream into the town’s Polo Grounds parking lot to watch what the world is watching: the FIFA World Cup 2018. An evening of euphoric gesticulations and soul-crushing disappointment beckons. But it is not the only footballing affair that has taken centre-stage in Meghalaya’s capital. A few hours earlier, another story unfolded just across the street, on the turf of the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex.
Earlier that morning Meghalaya’s debut Baby League, had its fourth match-day — an all-kids’ affair with non-stop action. The really young ones waddled after the ball in a swarm, kicking at will. At that level, there are no goalkeepers — just two posts on each end of the playing field. Up the age ladder, the jamboree gets replaced with the game’s symmetry: defence lines get distinct, skills come to the forefront, and so does competition.
The Baby League, brainchild of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), is a league format football competition for ages 4 to 13. A pilot league was started in Mumbai and Pune last year. The first Meghalaya edition is being organized by the state’s Football Association, in collaboration with technical partners AIFF and main sponsor, Tata Trusts. Later this month, Bengaluru is expected to start their version, and talks are on for an Orissa Baby League as well. In the Northeast, Mizoram, also hosts its own, the Young Legends League in Champai— an independent initiative between the Mizoram Football Association and a private organisation, not related to the AIFF league.
“What was lacking for grassroots football players was a competitive platform. The Baby League provides this platform for kids at a young age,” says Arki Nongrum, the 31-year-old CEO of the Meghalaya Football Association (MFA), “If you train each and every day but you do not play anyone competitively, it makes no sense.”
So, on every Saturday and select school holidays, dressed in jersey colours inspired by squads around the world, the “babies” play ball. The Baby League has 12 teams: Wahlakhiat Bulls, Nongthymmai Scorpions, JNS Jaguars, among others. Apart from their assigned animal icons, team names include the school, institution or locations they represent.
On the Saturday we visited, the match day program included 5 match-ups involving 10 of the 12 participating teams. Matches are shorter than the standard duration: 10 minutes per half for the youngest age group while the teenagers slug it out for 25 minutes each half. On the sidelines, there were excited parents cheering their kids on, many recording the action on their phones, elbowing other spectators in the process, as they tried to get the best footage.
“It is a good beginning,” says L.A. Kharmawphlang, whose 12-year-old twin sons play for the Touchline NE Cubs, “They already train but to actually play in a tournament makes a big difference. It makes them team players.” Michael Lyngdoh, whose nephews play for the ENE Falcons, adds that the Baby League is “a welcome opportunity for young children to improve their talent, and resist distracting temptations like TV and other gadgets.”
An event that will run for six months, the Baby League is longer than the established ISL and I-Leagues, the top two divisions of professional football in the country. Each team plays more than forty games during the course of the league. For most, the Baby League is more than a fun game of football. It is about equal opportunity too — be it in terms of gender, economy or just representation.
“It is mandatory for each team to register at least 10% female players,” says Arki, adding that the hope is to establish a dedicated all-girls league in the future. On Saturday’s game, the senior team (ages 12-13) for JNS Jaguars was dominated by girls. Marilyn Rapthap, whose 13-year-old daughter was starting for the Jaguars, says, “Such opportunities for young athletes never existed before. I think this league will really help children develop their talent.”
Shanbor Manar and Hamarsingh Manar are from Wahlakhiat, a village 60 kms away from Shillong and are part of the coaching staff for the Wahlakhiat Bulls. Shanbor remembers how back home it was impossible to practice in their village ground. “It was too small and on a slope,” he says, “The Baby League includes squads from villages and towns outside Shillong, and they still manage to take to the level turf with aplomb.”
The League has as many as 200 registrations for some of the teams, a great sign for the future of the tournament. “Teams of the Baby League rotate players to give everyone a chance,” says Working Syiem, who coaches the Nongthymmai Scorpions.
Meghalaya’s Baby League is turning out to be much more than a photo op for adorable moments. Arki stresses on the long-term benefits of the initiative: “It ties into a much larger picture. Apart from giving footballers a competitive platform to hone their skills, we hope to lay the foundation for a vibrant sports culture by involving parents and communities,” he says.
For Indian football to succeed, a development model that ‘catches them young’ is the only way forward. And in Shillong’s Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex, amidst the delightful squeals of children at play, there are some sure signs of genius.
All you need to know about the football league structure in Sikkim
The mountainous state of Sikkim has produced many talents for the nation, most notably former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia.
Despite a population fewer than 7 Lakhs, the Sikkim Football Association (SFA) has its hands full in organising tournaments, given the beautiful game is the number one sport in the region.
Supported not only by its football-crazy Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and also other Sikkimese players, who have settled in other parts of the country, football remains widely a cross-community affair in the state.
State League
Presently, there are 25 semi-professional clubs which make up the football league structure in Sikkim. Segregated into three divisions, the bottom league - The SFA 'C' division had 12 teams competing in the 2018-19 season. Divided into four groups with single league round robin and knockouts, the finalists are promoted to the 'B' division.
The 2018-19 SFA 'B' Division was a five-team single league round robin affair. The winners and runners-up are promoted to the Sikkim Premier Division League next season. The bottom two teams are relegated to the 'C' division.
The top-most tier, Sikkim Premier Division League, began in 2011 and its 2018-19 edition started on 21 July. Defending champions United Sikkim FC with State Sports Academy, Boy's Club, Pakyong United FC, Gangtok Himalayan FC, Aakraman XI alongside new entrants SAI Namchi and Unicorn FC make up the eight-team league.
Slated to go on for a month, it will be a single league round robin system with the bottom two teams relegated to the 'B' division. All matches will be played at the Paljor Stadium, Gangtok.
The SFA also hosts three knockout tournaments. The SFA Super Cup is played between the top four in the Premier Division League at the end of the season. The Independence Day Football Tournament is a midseason knockout tournament which features a mix of Sikkim-based and other teams from the North-East region.
The All India Sikkim Governor's Gold Cup, one of the most prestigious invitational tournaments, was founded in 1986 and various teams from different parts of India as well as international clubs have taken part in it. Kolkata's Mohun Bagan are the most successful team with ten titles and are also the defending champions.
District leagues
Sikkim has only four districts out of which, North Sikkim district has a population density of 10 per square kilometre. There are no intra or interdistrict leagues but Sikkim has a rich culture in community football, similar to that of Sunday Leagues in the UK.
"There are plans to organise an intra-district club tournament this season. All four winners will then get to join the 'C' division so it becomes a 16-team league from 2019-20," revealed Arjun Rai, Joint Secretary, SFA.
Youth leagues and 'Baby League'
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) passed on a directive to each state association to initiate grassroots programme in the form of Baby Leagues and the SFA have been mulling options.
"This year, after the month of August, we are planning to organise Baby Leagues", promised Rai.
The SFA for the very first time organised a junior tournament last season. "We did a U-15 knockout tournament with ten teams but it remains to be seen how we can better it this season", said Rai.
The 2017 SFA U-15 Boys Knockout cup was won by North Sikkim FA Mangan, which hails from the sparsely inhabited North Sikkim district.
Recently, Sikkim Himalayan Sporting Club secured a 2-star academy accreditation from AIFF. This allows the club to field teams in the I-League U-13, U-15 and U-18 tournaments.
Women's football structure
Like most states in India, Sikkim lacks a professional set up for the women's game but 'plans are underway' to organise one, promises the state association.
"There have been various open football tournaments in the village level but we don't have a league structure yet. This season we are definitely organising a women's league", stated Rai.