The Delhi Football League is a ladder-based football competition in the Indian union territory of Delhi, organised by Football Delhi (FD) as part of the state leagues. Delhi Premier League is the top-division, started in 1948 as DSA Senior Division.
| Organising bodies | Football Delhi |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1948 |
| Country | India |
| Leagues | Delhi Premier League FD Senior Division League A-Division League B-Division League C-Division League |
| Divisions | 5 |
| Number of teams | 80+ (overall) |
| Level on pyramid | 5–9 |
| Promotion to | Various |
| Relegation to | Various |
| Website | www |
History
The first parent body of Delhi football was formed in 1926, with professor Mohammed Zubair Qureishi as secretary. There was no proper local league but the clubs used to participate in private tournaments organised by sport enthusiasts. Due to the violence and upheaval caused by the Partition of India, the Delhi League was suspended after 1946. It resumed in 1948 and the oldest club in the capital Young Men has won it that year. From 1948 onwards, the Delhi League took a particular shape. It had three divisions. The top 10 teams played in the A division, on a double-leg basis, with all matches being held at the Ambedkar Stadium, earlier known as the Delhi Gate Stadium. The B and C division matches took place at either the nearby Crescent Ground or the President's Estate Ground. Except for transport allowance, kit and refreshment, there was no payment to the players. However, club officials would strive to get their top players jobs in leading public sector concerns like Delhi Audit, Northern Railway, State Bank of India, Central Secretariat Service, Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking (DESU), Food Corporation of India (FCI) and so on. A competitive institutional league was also held annually.[1]
Structure
| Delhi Football League | |
|---|---|
| Tier | Division |
| 1 (5 on Indian football pyramid) |
Delhi Premier League ↑promote (to I-League 3) ↓relegate |
| 2 (6 on Indian football pyramid) |
FD Senior Division League ↑promote ↓relegate |
| 3 (7 on Indian football Football pyramid) |
FD A-Division ↑promote↓relegate |
| 4 (8 on Indian football Football pyramid) |
FD B-Division ↑promote↓relegate |
| 5 (9 on Indian football pyramid) |
FD C-Division ↑promote |
Delhi Premier League
| Organising bodies | Football Delhi |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Number of teams | 11 |
| Level on pyramid | 5 |
| Promotion to | I-League 3 |
| Relegation to | FD Senior Division League |
| Current champions | Garhwal Heroes FC (1st title) |
| Current: 2023–24 Delhi Premier League | |
Delhi Premier League, previously known as Football Delhi Senior Division League (FD Senior Division)[2] and DSA Senior Division, is the top state-level football league in Delhi and level 5 of Indian football league system.[3] It is also the highest level inter-city league played in the capital. Competition is conducted by Football Delhi,[4] official governing body of Delhi region under AIFF. Most players from this league are selected to represent Delhi for Santosh Trophy.[citation needed]
| Season | Champions | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | Vatika FC| | |
| 2023-2024 | Garhwal Heroes FC |
FD Senior Division League
| Organising bodies | Football Delhi |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Number of teams | 11 |
| Level on pyramid | 6 |
| Promotion to | Delhi Premier League |
| Relegation to | FD Senior Division League |
| Current champions | Delhi FC (1st title) |
| Current: 2021–22 FD Senior Division | |
Football Delhi Senior Division League is the second tier of Delhi Football League system.
FD A-Division
| Organising bodies | Football Delhi |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Level on pyramid | 7 |
| Promotion to | FD Senior Division League |
| Relegation to | FD B-Division |
Football Delhi A-Division is the third tier of Delhi Football League system.
FD B-Division
| Organising bodies | Football Delhi |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Level on pyramid | 8 |
| Promotion to | FD A-Division |
| Relegation to | FD C-Division |
Football Delhi B-Division is the fourth tier of Delhi Football League system.
FD C-Division
| Organising bodies | Football Delhi |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Number of teams | 11 |
| Level on pyramid | 9 |
| Promotion to | FD B-Division |
Football Delhi C-Division is the fifth tier of Delhi Football League system.
Champions of the top-most division
The Delhi League was started in 1948, but has not been finished on some occasions. From 1985, a new format, Super League (two groups followed by knock-out semifinals and final), was adopted.[5][6]
| Year | Winner | Runners-up | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Youngmen SC | Data not available | |
| 1949 | Raisina Sporting | ||
| 1950 | Simla Youngs FC | ||
| 1951 | Youngmen SC | ||
| 1952 | Simla Youngs FC | ||
| 1953 | New Delhi Heroes FC | ||
| 1954 | New Delhi Heroes FC | ||
| 1955 | New Delhi Heroes FC | ||
| 1956 | New Delhi Heroes FC | ||
| 1957 | Youngmen SC | ||
| 1958 | New Delhi Heroes FC | ||
| 1959 | New Delhi Heroes FC | ||
| 1960 | City Club | ||
| 1961 | Raisina Sporting | ||
| 1962 | Raisina Sporting | ||
| 1963 | City Club | ||
| 1964 | City Club | ||
| 1965 | Youngmen SC | ||
| 1966 | President's Estate | ||
| 1967 | President's Estate | ||
| 1969 | Youngmen SC | ||
| 1971 | Indian Air Force | ||
| 1972 | Simla Youngs FC | ||
| 1973 | Simla Youngs FC | ||
| 1975 | Indian Air Force | ||
| 1976 | Simla Youngs FC | ||
| 1985 | Moonlight FC | Simla Youngs FC | |
| 1986 | Garhwal Heroes | Youngsters FC | |
| 1987 | None | Unfinished | |
| 1988 | Shastri FC Moonlight FC |
Joint winners | |
| 1989 | Shastri FC Moonlight FC |
Joint winners | |
| 1990 | Moonlight FC | ||
| 1991 | Students Club | Simla Youngs FC | |
| 1992 | Shastri FC | Special Area Games | |
| 1993 | South India FC | Simla Youngs FC | |
| 1994 | Shastri FC | Indian National FC | |
| 1995 | Mughals SC | Shastri FC | |
| 1996 | Shastri FC | Hindustan FC | |
| 1997 | City Club | Indian Air Force | |
| 1998 | Indian Air Force | Hindustan FC | |
| 1999 | Indian National FC | Shastri FC | |
| 2000 | Indian National FC | Hindustan FC | |
| 2001–02 | Hindustan FC | Indian National FC | |
| 2002 | Indian Air Force | Hindustan FC | |
| 2003 | Indian Air Force | Tarun Sangha FC | |
| 2004 | Indian Air Force, Palam | Indian Air Force | |
| 2005 | Simla Youngs FC | Hindustan FC | |
| 2006–07 | Indian Air Force | Indian National FC | |
| 2007–08 | New Delhi Heroes FC | Indian National FC | |
| 2008–09 | Indian National FC | Hindustan FC | |
| 2009 | Hindustan FC Indian National FC |
Joint winners | |
| 2011–12 | Delhi United FC | Shahadra FC | |
| 2013 | Garhwal Heroes FC | Goodwill FC | |
| 2013–14 | Indian National FC | Garhwal Heroes FC | |
| 2018 | Indian Air Force | ||
| 2019 | Garhwal FC | Indian Air Force | |
| 2020 | Not held | due to COVID-19 pandemic | |
| 2021 | Indian Air Force | Delhi FC | |
| 2021–22 | Delhi FC | Hindustan FC | |
| 2022–23 | Vatika FC | Delhi FC | [7] |
| 2023–24 | Garhwal Heroes FC | Royal Rangers FC | |
See also
References
External links
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