AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: The Club Licensing Committee of the All India Football Federation, chaired by Dr Girija Shanker Mungali, met via video conferencing on May 15, 2024, and concluded its evaluation of the Premier 1 clubs for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

Mr. Anirban Dutta (Deputy Chairman), Mr Ravishankar Jayaraman, and Mr. Yash K Nayak (members) were present in the meeting.

After going through the entire Club Licensing process for the 2024-25 season, the following are the results approved by the AIFF Club Licensing Committee. They will be eligible to participate in all AFC Club competitions (subject to qualification on sporting merit) and the Indian Super League.  

License Granted: Punjab FC

License Granted with sanctions: Mumbai City FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, FC Goa, Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, North East United FC, East Bengal FC, and Mohammedan SC. Mohammedan SC, the I-League champions 2023-24, have secured promotion to the ISL 2024-25.

License rejected: Jamshedpur FC, Hyderabad FC, Kerala Blasters, and Odisha FC did not secure licenses in the Premier 1 category due to multiple ‘A’ criteria failures, making them ineligible for AFC Club competitions and the National competitions. The clubs, however, have options to seek an exemption to participate in the National competitions by 22nd May 2024.

The Indian Club Licensing system is pivotal in maintaining the quality, professionalism, and infrastructure of football clubs in India. It is an annual process wherein clubs acquire the necessary license to partake in AFC and National competitions for each season. These licenses are categorised into ‘ICLS Premier 1’ for Indian Super League clubs and ‘ICLS Premier 2’ for I-League clubs.