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2021-12-31T09:30:29Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Western India Football Association
| image = Wifa logo.jpg
| size = 200px
| abbreviation = WIFA<ref>{{cite web|author=Neil Morrison|url=http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/indianadkarnicuphist.html|title=India - List of Nadkarni Cup Finals|website=rsssf.com|publisher=[[RSSSF|Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation]]|access-date=1 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129033202/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/indianadkarnicuphist.html|archive-date=29 November 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
| formation = 1902
| leader_title = President
| leader_name = [[Praful Patel]]
| affiliations = [[All India Football Federation]]
| headquarters = [[Mumbai]]
| region_served = [[Maharashtra]]
| website = {{URL|https://wifa.in/}}
| remarks =
}}
'''Western India Football Association''' ('''WIFA''')<ref>{{Cite web|author=Chittu Shetty|url=https://www.footballcounter.com/2019/why-this-would-be-the-right-time-to-bring-back-rovers-cup/|title=Why this would be the right time to bring back ‘Rovers Cup’|website=footballcounter.com|publisher=Football Counter|date=11 August 2019|access-date=27 June 2021|archive-date=27 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627133540/https://www.footballcounter.com/2019/why-this-would-be-the-right-time-to-bring-back-rovers-cup/|url-status=live}}</ref> is the state governing body for [[association football|football]] in [[Maharashtra]], [[India]].<ref>[https://wifa.in/history/ History: The Harwood League] ''wifa.in''. Retrieved 17 August 2021</ref><ref>[http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/indiabomchamp.html India - List of Mumbai (Bombay) League Champions] ''RSSSF''. Retrieved 17 August 2021</ref> It is affiliated with the [[All India Football Federation]], the sports national governing body.

==History==
The Bombay Football Association was established in the [[Bombay province]] of 1902, it was amalgmated with the older Rovers football club to form the Western India Football Association on 12 July, 1911.<ref>https://books.google.co.in/books?id=uuYJEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT136&dq=Bombay+football+association&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjdqNnL28z0AhXsTWwGHXjZCJsQ6AF6BAgJEAM#v=onepage&q=Bombay%20football%20association&f=false</ref> The objective of WIFA was to improve the sport of football in the [[Bombay state]], and in the present-day [[Maharashtra]]. Before that, football games were organised for the [[Rovers Cup]], which is India's second oldest football [[tournament]] started in 1890.

Then in 2011, after the sudden rise in the popularity of [[football in India]], WIFA decided to revamp the Maharashtra Football System. The first thing they decided to do was renovate [[Mumbai]]'s only national football stadium, the [[Cooperage Ground]].<ref>[https://www.the-aiff.com/article/mumbai-fc-returns-to-cooperage-football-stadium Mumbai FC returns to Cooperage Football Stadium] ''the-aiff.com''. Retrieved 13 September 2021</ref> After that they will work on starting the first ever statewide football league in Maharashtra known as ''the Maha League''. They also announced plans to revive the Rovers Cup which had its last tournament in 2001.<ref>http://wifa.in/?page_id=93</ref>

==Maharashtra football pyramid==
The Maharashtra pyramid consists of the national state league, '''The Maha League''', at the top, district leagues in second, followed by lower leagues.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!colspan="1" width="10%" |
Level
!colspan="8" width="128%" |
League(s)/Division(s)
|-
|colspan="1" width="4%" |
'''State National League'''
|colspan="8" width="130%" |
'''The Maha League''' (proposed)
|-
|colspan="1" width="4%" |
'''District National League'''
|colspan="1" width="16%" |
'''[[Mumbai Football League]]''' '''([[MFA Elite Division]])''' 
''26 clubs''
|colspan="1" width="16%" |
'''NDFA Elite division league''' 
''10 clubs''
|colspan="1" width="16%" |
'''Kolhapur Senior League''' 
''16 Clubs''
|colspan="1" width="16%" |
'''[[Pune Football League]]''' '''([[Pune Football League#Super Division|Pune Super Division]])''' 
''16 clubs''
|colspan="1" width="16%" |
'''Aurangabad Football League''' 
''To Be Announced''
|colspan="1" width="16%" |
'''Thane Super Division''' 
''11 clubs''
|colspa ="1" width="16" |
'''Nashik Football League''' 
''To be Announced''
|colspa ="1" width="16" |
'''Palghar Football League''' 
''To be Announced''
|-
|colspan="1" width="4%" |
'''District League'''
|colspan="4" width="16%" |
'''[[MFA Super Division]]''' 
''32 clubs''
|colspan="4" width="16%" |
'''[[Pune Football League#First Division|Pune First Division]]''' 
''18 clubs''
|-
|colspan="1" width="4%" |
'''3'''
|colspan="8" width="19%" |
'''[[Mumbai Football League#Division One|Mumbai Division One]]''' 
'''[[Mumbai Football League#Division Two|Mumbai Division Two]]''' 
'''[[Mumbai Football League#Division Three|Mumbai Division Three]]''' 
'''Pune Division Two''' 
'''Pune Division Three'''

'''Nagpur Division Super league'''

'''Nagpur Division Senior League'''
|}

==District associations==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Zone
! President
! Website
|-
| '''[[Mumbai District Football Association|Mumbai]]'''
| Austin Coutinho
|
|-
| '''[[Pune District Football Association|Pune]]'''
| [http://www.vishwajeetkadam.com/ Dr. Vishwajeet Kadam]
| [http://www.pdfa.in/ Pune District Football Association]
|-
| '''[[Nagpur District Football Association|Nagpur]]'''
| Shri Harish Vora
|
|-
| '''[[Aurangabad District Football Association|Aurangabad]]'''
| Captain Rafat Afandi
|
|-
| '''[[Thane District Football Association|Thane]]'''
| Alphonso Santiago
| [http://thanedistrictfootball.blogspot.com/p/home.html Thane District Football Association]
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.wifa.in/ WIFA Website]
*[http://www.pdfa.in/ Poona District Football Association]
*[http://www.kufa.in/ Kolhapur United Football Association,(KUFA)]

{{Football in India}}
{{Indian state football associations}}
{{Football in Maharashtra}}

[[Category:Football governing bodies in India]]
[[Category:Football in Maharashtra]]
[[Category:1911 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Mumbai]]
[[Category:Sports organizations established in 1911]]
[[Category:Sport in Maharashtra]]

Western India Football Association - Revision history

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