Federation Cup Returns, AIFF Inducts Five New Clubs Into I-League

Carrying the status of India's premier cup competition, the Federation Cup football tournament will return after a gap of six years from the 2023-24 season, the sport's apex body said on Monday. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has also decided to induct five new teams into the I-League, having "accommodated all five bidders into the I-League, with the vision of expanding the competition to a stronger league." Besides, Satyanarayan M, the secretary of Karnataka State Football Association (KFSA), has been appointed as the new deputy secretary general of the AIFF.

These decisions were taken during the federation's executive committee meeting.

The executive committee, in line with AIFF's Vision 2047 plan, felt it would be "prudent to revive a legacy competition" like the Federation Cup.

To that extent, it decided that the Federation Cup will be the premier cup competition in India from the 2023-24 season onwards, the AIFF said in a press release.

As far as the I-League is concerned, five entities had placed their respective bids for corporate entries into the league -- YMS Finance Pvt Ltd (Varanasi, UP), Namdhari Seeds Pvt Ltd (Bhaini Sahib Village, Punjab), Nimida United Sports Development Pvt Ltd (Bengaluru, Karnataka), Concatenate Advest Advisory Pvt Ltd (Delhi), and Bunkerhill Pvt Ltd (Ambala, Haryana).

The top decision-making committee decided to accommodate all five bidders into the I-League.

AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said, "This executive committee meeting is being held on a day when the Indian senior men's national team is preparing to battle it out against Kuwait in the final of the SAFF Championship tomorrow.

"Despite two teams from outside the SAFF region, who are regarded as considerably stronger