12th edition of I-League launched in New Delhi, teams turn out in force

This season the nation's top flight will feature 11 teams from 10 states across the country.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Tuesday officially launched the 12th edition of the Indian I-League at an event in New Delhi. India's top football league will see 11 clubs from 10 states battling it out for the coveted title. The league will run over a period of six months.

Debuting in the league, Real Kashmir will look to put the state of Jammu and Kashmir on the footballing map of the country. Being the 2nd Division champions, they join the pool of the existing 10 teams from the previous campaign in the league. Goan outfit Churchill Brothers, on the other hand, had their relegation waived and were reinstated in the league.

Subrata Dutta, AIFF: If we had relegated Churchill Brothers then there wouldn't have been a single team from the western region. We gave Aizawl a second chance not so long ago and it paid off. #indianfootball #HeroILeague #ILeagueIConquer

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) October 23, 2018

Subrata Dutta, Sr. Vice President AIFF: Football is the opium of the mass in Kashmir. Now @realkashmirfc will represent them in @ILeagueOfficial.#indianfootball #HeroILeague #ILeagueIConquer

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) October 23, 2018

“We are very happy to welcome Real Kashmir to the league. The pan-Indian presence of the league has been its unique feature in the last few editions. Furthermore, with the Valley state entering its fold, the I-League yet again stands as a true testament to how it has played a critical role in spreading the game to all corners of the country,” said AIFF President Praful Patel.

“The I-League has been scouting and nurturing current and future stars of Indian football over the years. This year we have 11 teams from 10 states fighting for the top honours in the 12th edition. I wish luck to all the participating teams,” Kushal Das, General Secretary, AIFF stated.

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The 11 teams include, defending Champions Minerva Punjab, 2nd Division champions Real Kashmir, Kolkata clubs East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, Neroca FC, Aizawl FC, Shillong Lajong, Churchill Brothers, Indian Arrows, Gokulam Kerala and Chennai City.

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Elsewhere, the federation's development side Indian Arrows will play from Odisha this time around with Floyd Pinto as the head coach of the young team.

This year the I-League will be broadcast Live & Exclusively on the Star Sports Network and their digital platform Hotstar, along with Jio TV. The 12th edition will also be rewarding for the players with significant prize money at stake for the top teams - Winners (₹1 Crore), Runners-Up (₹60 Lakh), Third Place (₹40 Lakhs) and Fourth Place (₹25 Lakhs).