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	{{Infobox football league		{{Infobox football league
	\| image = ~~[[File:National Football League (India).png\|260px]]~~		\| image =
	\| country = India		\| country = India
	\| confed = [[Asian Football Confederation\|AFC]]		\| confed = [[Asian Football Confederation\|AFC]]

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{{Short description|Former nationwide league competition featuring association football clubs from India}}
{{other uses|NFL (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox football league
| image = [[File:National Football League (India).png|260px]]
| country = India
| confed = [[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]]
| founded = {{start date and age|1996}}
| folded = {{end date and age|2007}} (reformed as the [[I-League]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://i-league.org/about-us/history-of-i-league/ |title=History of I-League |publisher=AIFF |website=i-league.org |access-date=27 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614150349/https://i-league.org/about-us/history-of-i-league/ |archive-date=14 June 2023}}</ref>
| chairman =
| divisions = {{nobreak|NFL Premier Division (1996–2007)}} {{nobreak|NFL Second Division (1997–2007)}} {{nobreak|NFL Third Division (2006–2007)}}
| teams = 10–12
| levels = 1–3
| domest_cup = [[Federation Cup (India)|Federation Cup]] [[Durand Cup]] [[Indian Super Cup (1997–2011)|Super Cup]]
| champions = [[Dempo S.C.|Dempo]] (2nd title)
| season = [[2006–07 National Football League (India)|2006–07]]
| most successful club = [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]] [[Mohun Bagan AC|Mohun Bagan]] (3 titles each)
|relegation = [[National Football League Second Division (India)| National Football League Second Division]]
|confed_cup = [[AFC Champions League|Asian Club Championship/AFC Champions League]] [[AFC Cup]]
}}

The '''National Football League''' ('''NFL''') was a league competition featuring [[Association football|football]] clubs from India. Founded in 1996 through the [[All India Football Federation]] (AIFF), the NFL was the first football league in India to be organized on a national scale. The AIFF then added a second division in 1997 and a third division was soon added by the governing body in 2006. The NFL was eventually replaced by the [[I-League]] for the [[2007–08 I-League|2007–08]] season in order to professionalize the sport in India.

As well as league competition, clubs in the NFL would also participate in the two main domestic cup competitions, the [[Federation Cup (India)|Federation Cup]] and [[Durand Cup]]. The NFL champions would also participate in the [[Indian Super Cup (1997–2011)|Super Cup]] against the Federation Cup champion. NFL players could also participate in the state-based [[Santosh Trophy]] competition.

==History==
The National Football League was founded by the All India Football Federation, the governing body for [[football in India]], in 1996.<ref name="ifde">{{cite web |title=National Football League |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl.html |website=indianfootball.de |access-date=4 September 2020 |archive-date=27 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027034504/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The aim of the league was to promote the development of the sport in the country. [[JCT F.C.|JCT Mills]] of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] won the [[1996–97 National Football League (India)|inaugural season]] of the league. Then [[India national football team|India international]] [[Bhaichung Bhutia]] was the league's top goalscorer with 14 goals.<ref name="rediff">{{cite web |title=NFL Champions and Goalscorers |url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/nflroll.htm |website=Rediff |access-date=4 September 2020 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220719/http://www.rediff.com/sports/nflroll.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> To supplement the Premier Division, the AIFF began the [[National Football League Second Division (India)|second division]] of the NFL in 1997.<ref name="ifde2">{{cite web |title=NFL Division 2 |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl2.html |website=indianfootball.de |access-date=4 September 2020 |archive-date=26 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026081440/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl2.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Tollygunge Agragami F.C.|Tollygunge Agragami]] of [[Kolkata]] were the inaugural second division champions.<ref name="ifde2"/>

In 2001, in order to help promote the development of young Indian players, the AIFF launched the under-19 league.<ref name="u19">{{cite web |title=NFL Under-19 |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nflj.html |website=indianfootball.de |access-date=4 September 2020 |archive-date=2 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802071920/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nflj.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The inaugural season of the under-19 league would see [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]] crowned champions.<ref name="u19"/> Only three seasons of the [[National Football League (Under-19)|under-19 league]] were held in 2001, 2002–03, and 2004–05.<ref name="u19"/> The AIFF also fielded the [[India national under-16 football team|India under-16]] side in the league when held.<ref name="u19"/>

In July 2003, East Bengal made history for the NFL when they won the [[2003 ASEAN Club Championship]], becoming the first Indian side to win an Asian level competition.<ref>{{cite news |title=East Bengal lift ASEAN Cup |url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2003/jul/26foot2.htm |access-date=4 September 2020 |work=Rediff |date=26 July 2003 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410215859/https://www.rediff.com/sports/2003/jul/26foot2.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Prior to the [[2006–07 National Football League (India)|2006–07]] season, the AIFF launched a [[National Football League Third Division (India)|third division]], which was essentially just the qualifiers for the second division.<ref>{{cite web |title=NFL Division Three |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/india07.html |website=RSSSF |access-date=4 September 2020 |archive-date=9 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609201305/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/india07.html#nfl2 |url-status=live }}</ref> After the season concluded, the AIFF announced that the NFL would be disbanded and replaced with a new fully-professional league, the I-League for the 2007–08 season.<ref name="rediff2">{{cite news |title=AIFF's I-League to have 10 teams |url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2007/nov/21aiff.htm |access-date=4 September 2020 |work=Rediff |date=21 November 2007 |archive-date=8 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808071300/https://www.rediff.com/sports/2007/nov/21aiff.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Dempo S.C.|Dempo]] finished as the final NFL champions.<ref name="ifde"/>

==Sponsorship==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Period
! Sponsor
! Industry
! Tournament
|-
|1996–1998
|{{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Philips]]
|[[Conglomerate (company)|Conglomerate]]
|[[Philips]] National Football League
|-
|1998–2001
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[The Coca-Cola Company]]
|[[Drink|Beverage]]
|[[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola]] National Football League
|-
|2001–2002
|{{Flagicon|IND}} [[Tata Group]]
|[[Conglomerate (company)|Conglomerate]]
|[[Tata Group|Tata]] National Football League
|-
|2002–2003
|{{Flagicon|IND}} [[Oil and Natural Gas Corporation|ONGC]],
[[Bharat Petroleum|BPCL]], [[Hindustan Petroleum|HPCL]], [[Indian Oil Corporation|IOC]], [[GAIL]], IBP, [[Kochi Refineries|Cochin Refineries Ltd.]] and Chennai Refineries Ltd.
|[[Public sector undertakings in India|Public sector enterprises]]
|[[Petroleum industry|Oil]] [[Public sector undertakings in India|PSU]] National Football League
|-
|2003–2004
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[The Coca-Cola Company]]
|[[Drink|Beverage]]
|[[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola]] National Football League
|-
|2004–2007
|{{Flagicon|IND}} [[Oil and Natural Gas Corporation|ONGC]]
|[[Petroleum industry|Petroleum]]
|[[Oil and Natural Gas Corporation|ONGC]] National Football League (2004–2005)

[[Oil and Natural Gas Corporation|ONGC]] Cup (2005–2007)
|}

==Clubs==
'''Played in NFL Premier Division'''

* [[Air India F.C.|Air India]]
* [[Border Security Force (football club)|Border Security Force]]
* [[Churchill Brothers S.C.|Churchill Brothers]]
* [[Dempo S.C.|Dempo]]
* [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]]
* [[Fransa-Pax FC|Fransa-Pax]]
* [[Hindustan Aeronautics Limited S.C.|Hindustan Aeronautics Limited]]
* [[Indian Bank Recreational Club|Indian Bank]]
* [[ITI Sports Club|Indian Telephone Industries]]
* [[JCT F.C.|JCT]]
* [[Kerala Police Football Team|Kerala Police]]
* [[F.C. Kochin|Kochin]]
* [[Mahindra United F.C.|Mahindra United]]
* [[Mohammedan S.C. (Kolkata)|Mohammedan]]
* [[ATK Mohun Bagan FC|Mohun Bagan]]
* [[FC Punjab Police|Punjab Police]]
* [[Salgaocar F.C.|Salgaocar]]
* [[Sporting Clube de Goa|Sporting Goa]]
* [[SBI Kerala (football club)|State Bank of Travancore]]
* [[Tollygunge Agragami F.C.|Tollygunge Agragami]]
* [[Vasco S.C.|Vasco]]

==Champions==
===Premier Division===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Season
! Champions (number of titles)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/indiachamp.html|title=India - List of National Champions|author=Atsushi Fujioka & Arunava Chaudhuri|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=14 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026112338/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/indiachamp.html|archive-date=26 October 2021}}</ref>
! Runners-up
! Third place
! Leading goalscorer(s)
! Goals
|-
| align=center|[[1996–97 National Football League (India)|1996–97]]
| '''[[JCT F.C.|JCT]]'''
| [[Churchill Brothers S.C.|Churchill Brothers]]
| [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]]
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[Bhaichung Bhutia]] (JCT)
| align=center|14
|-
| align=center|[[1997–98 National Football League (India)|1997–98]]
| '''[[Mohun Bagan A.C.|Mohun Bagan]]'''
| [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]]
| [[Salgaocar F.C.|Salgaocar]]
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[Raman Vijayan]] (Kochin)
| align=center|10
|-
| align=center|[[1998–99 National Football League (India)|1998–99]]
| '''[[Salgaocar F.C.|Salgaocar]]'''
| [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]]
| [[Churchill Brothers S.C.|Churchill Brothers]]
| {{flagicon|GHA}} Philip Mensah (Churchill Brothers)
| align=center|11
|-
| align=center|[[1999–2000 National Football League (India)|1999–00]]
| '''[[Mohun Bagan A.C.|Mohun Bagan]]''' (2)
| [[Churchill Brothers S.C.|Churchill Brothers]]
| [[Salgaocar F.C.|Salgaocar]]
| {{flagicon|UZB}} [[Igor Shkvyrin]] (Mohun Bagan)
| align=center|11
|-
| align=center|[[2000–01 National Football League (India)|2000–01]]
| '''[[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]]'''
| [[Mohun Bagan A.C.|Mohun Bagan]]
| [[Churchill Brothers S.C.|Churchill Brothers]]
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[José Ramirez Barreto]] (Mohun Bagan)
| align=center|14
|-
| align=center|[[2001–02 National Football League (India)|2001–02]]
| '''[[Mohun Bagan A.C.|Mohun Bagan]]''' (3)
| [[Churchill Brothers S.C.|Churchill Brothers]]
| [[Vasco S.C.|Vasco]]
| {{flagicon|GHA}} [[Yusif Yakubu]] (Churchill Brothers)
| align=center|18
|-
| align=center|[[2002–03 National Football League (India)|2002–03]]
| '''[[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]]''' (2)
| [[Salgaocar F.C.|Salgaocar]]
| [[Vasco S.C.|Vasco]]
| {{flagicon|GHA}} [[Yusif Yakubu]] (Churchill Brothers)
| align=center|21
|-
| align=center|[[2003–04 National Football League (India)|2003–04]]
| '''[[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]]''' (3)
| [[Dempo S.C.|Dempo]]
| [[Mahindra United F.C.|Mahindra United]]
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Cristiano Júnior]] (East Bengal)
| align=center|15
|-
| align=center|[[2004–05 National Football League (India)|2004–05]]
| '''[[Dempo S.C.|Dempo]]'''
| [[Sporting Clube de Goa|Sporting Goa]]
| [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]]
| {{flagicon|NGA}} [[Dudu Omagbemi]] (Sporting Goa)
| align=center|21
|-
| align=center|[[2005–06 National Football League (India)|2005–06]]
| '''[[Mahindra United F.C.|Mahindra United]]'''
| [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]]
| [[Mohun Bagan A.C.|Mohun Bagan]]
| {{flagicon|NGA}} [[Ranti Martins]] (Dempo)
| align=center|13
|-
| align=center|[[2006–07 National Football League (India)|2006–07]]
| '''[[Dempo S.C.|Dempo]]''' (2)
| [[JCT F.C.|JCT]]
| [[Mahindra United F.C.|Mahindra United]]
| {{flagicon|NGA}} [[Odafa Onyeka Okolie]] (Churchill Brothers)
| align=center|18
|}

===Second Division===
{{main|National Football League Second Division (India)}}

===Third Division===
{{main|National Football League Third Division (India)}}

==See also==
* [[List of Indian football champions]]
* [[Indian football league system]]
* [[Indian Super League]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{I-League Champions}}
{{National Football League (India)}}
{{I-League seasons}}
{{Football in India}}
{{Sports leagues of India}}

[[Category:National Football League (India)| ]]
[[Category:Defunct football leagues in India]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1996]]
[[Category:Organizations disestablished in 2007]]
[[Category:Professional sports leagues in India]]
[[Category:Defunct top level football leagues in Asia|India]]
[[Category:Football leagues in India]]

National Football League (India) - Revision history

GayeKirkpatrick: slightly expanded layout to improve readability additionally and cleaned formatting

Delinker: Bot: The file File:National Football League (India).png has been removed, as it does not exist.

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