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{{Short description|Youth football league system in India}}
{{Morefootnotes|date=July 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox football league
| name = Youth League
| logo =
| pixels =
| caption =
| country = India
| founded = {{start date and age|2008}}
| divisions = Elite Youth League Junior League Sub-Junior League
| teams = 49 (Elite League)
| relegation =
| levels = 1
| domest_cup =
| champions = '''Youth''': Classic FA '''Junior''': [[Minerva Academy FC|Minerva Punjab]] '''Sub-Junior''': [[Reliance Foundation Young Champs|RF Young Champs]]
| most_champs = [[AIFF Elite Academy]] (3 titles)
| season =
| current =
| tv =
| website = {{URL|https://www.the-aiff.com}}
}}
The '''Youth League''', also known as the '''Hero Youth League''' for sponsorship reasons, is a system of youth [[association football|football]] leagues that are managed, organised and controlled by the [[All India Football Federation]]. It consists of 3 age groups competitions: U17 (Elite Youth League), U15 (Junior League) and U13 (Sub-Junior League).

==History==
The league was founded as the I-League U19 in 2008, which was to give youth teams of the I-League a national league to play in. 16 teams were split into four groups of four. At the end of the season, the top team from the group stage would move onto the final stage with the other group winners, and play each other once. The inaugural winners were [[Tata Football Academy]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2008-09ilj.html |title=I-League U19 2008 |access-date=4 July 2021 |archive-date=9 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183446/http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2008-09ilj.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The competition name was changed in 2012 to the '''I-League U-20''',<ref>[http://www.the-aiff.com/pages/tournament/index.php?tournamentdetail=91 :::: The Aiff ::::] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120411200515/http://www.the-aiff.com/pages/tournament/index.php?tournamentdetail=91|date=2012-04-11}}</ref> because many U-20 players in the I-League were not getting any time in the senior teams.

The U20 name only lasted for two seasons, before the All India Football Federation decided to switch the tournament format back to an under-19 format from 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=AIFF's Emergency Committee meets in New Delhi|url=http://the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=4981|work=The All India Football Federation|access-date=28 May 2013|archive-date=1 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801150711/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/aiffs-emergency-committee-meets-in-new-delhi|url-status=live}}</ref> From 2014, the tournament was divided into five zones, namely [[Kolkata]], [[Mumbai]], [[Shillong]], [[Goa]] and ''Rest of India''.

The competition once again changed format in 2015–16, played as U18 tournament. From 2017–18 season, the league was renamed as '''Youth League U18''' and subsequently as '''Elite League''' from 2018–19.

==Structure==
For younger categories, in most cases teams play each other in their respective zonal groups twice – home and away. At the end of the group stage, the top two teams go through to the final phase.

Those teams are divided into three groups and the group champions, along with the best second placed teams, qualify for the knockout stages.

For Elite League, the latest tournament took place across ten venues, with single [[round-robin tournament|round-robin]] format in the group and knockout stage. The 49 teams from 29 states and union territories were divided in ten groups.

==Past winners==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!colspan=2|I-League U19
|-
|[[2008 I-League U19|2008]]
|colspan=1|[[Tata Football Academy]]
|-
|[[2010 I-League U19|2010]]
|colapan=1|[[Sporting Clube de Goa]]
|-
|[[2011 I-League U19|2011]]
|colspan=1|[[JCT FC|JCT]]
|-
!colspan=2|I-League U20
|-
|[[2012 I-League U20|2012]]
|colspan="1"|[[Pune F.C. Academy]]
|-
|[[2013 I-League U20|2013]]
|colspan="1"|[[Pune F.C. Academy]]
|-
!colspan=2|I-League U19
|-
|[[2014 I-League U19|2014]]
|colspan="1"|[[Tata Football Academy]]
|-
|[[2014–15 I-League U19|2014–15]]
|colspan="1"|[[AIFF Elite Academy]]
|-
!colspan=2|I-League U18
|-
|[[2015–16 I-League U18|2015–16]]
|[[AIFF Elite Academy]]
|-
|[[2016–17 I-League U18|2016–17]]
|[[AIFF Elite Academy]]
|-
!colspan=2|Youth League U18
|-
|[[2017–18 Youth League U18|2017–18]]
|[[Shillong Lajong F.C.|Shillong Lajong]]
|-
!colspan=2|Elite League
|-
|[[2018–19 Indian Elite League|2018–19]]
|[[Minerva Punjab]]
|-
|[[2019–20 Indian Elite League|2019–20]]
|''called off due to [[COVID-19 pandemic in India|COVID-19 pandemic]]''
|-
!colspan=2|U17 Youth Cup
|-
|[[2022–23 Indian Elite League|2022–23]]
|Classic Football Academy<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thebridge.in/football/classic-football-academy-wins-u17-youth-cup-39238|title=Classic Football Academy wins Hero U-17 Youth Cup title|website=thebridge.in|publisher=The Bridge|date=31 January 2023|access-date=31 January 2023|agency=All India Football Federation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131150936/https://thebridge.in/football/classic-football-academy-wins-u17-youth-cup-39238|archive-date=31 January 2023}}</ref>
|}

===List of winners===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Team
!U20 titles
!U19 titles
!U18/U17 titles
|-
|align=left|[[AIFF Elite Academy]]
|'''0'''
|'''1'''
|'''2'''
|-
|align=left|[[Pune F.C. Academy|Pune U19]]
|'''2'''
|'''0'''
|'''0'''
|-
|align=left|[[Tata Football Academy|Tata FA U19]]
|'''0'''
|'''2'''
|'''0'''
|-
|align=left|[[JCT Football Academy|JCT]]
|'''0'''
|'''1'''
|'''0'''
|-
|align=left|[[Shillong Lajong F.C.|Shillong Lajong U18]]
|'''0'''
|'''0'''
|'''1'''
|-
|align=left|[[Minerva Punjab]]
|'''0'''
|'''0'''
|'''1'''
|-
|align=left|[[Sporting Club de Goa]]
|'''0'''
|'''1'''
|'''0'''
|-
|align=left|Classic FA
|'''0'''
|'''0'''
|'''1'''
|}

==Under-17 level==
{{Infobox football league
| name = Elite Youth League
| logo =
| pixels =
| folded =
| divisions =
| teams =
| relegation =
| levels =
| league_cup =
| confed_cup =
| champions = Classic FA (1st title)
| most_champs = [[AIFF Elite Academy]] (3 titles)
| tv = AIFF ([[YouTube]])
| current = [[2022–23 U-17 Youth Cup|2022–23]]
}}

The '''Elite Youth League''' or the '''Hero U-17 Youth Cup''' was previously known as '''I-League U18''', '''I-League U19''' and '''I-League U20'''.<ref>{{cite web|title=AIFF Moots U-15 & U-18 I-League For Clubs & Academies|url=http://i-league.org/aiff-moots-u-15-u-18-i-league-for-clubs-academies/|work=I-League.org|access-date=30 October 2015|archive-date=8 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108155113/http://i-league.org/aiff-moots-u-15-u-18-i-league-for-clubs-academies/|url-status=live}}</ref> is the top level of youth [[football in India]]. It is contested between the under-17 sides of The [[I-League]] teams, [[Indian Super League]] teams, as well as other youth teams. The most successful team currently is [[AIFF Elite Academy]], who won three titles. Minerva Punjab are the last known champions.
On 7 December 2018 AIFF decided to change its name to Hero Elite League.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://indianfootballfans.wixsite.com/indianfootball/home/2nd-division-league-teams-selected-to-begin-on-january |title=2nd Division League Teams selected to begin on January |access-date=8 December 2018 |archive-date=9 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209123856/https://indianfootballfans.wixsite.com/indianfootball/home/2nd-division-league-teams-selected-to-begin-on-january |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://thebridge.in/tentative-dates-for-2nd-division-league-hero-super-cup-announced/| title = Tentative decisions for 2nd Division League, Hero Super Cup announced| access-date = 8 December 2018| archive-date = 9 December 2018| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181209165326/https://thebridge.in/tentative-dates-for-2nd-division-league-hero-super-cup-announced/| url-status = live}}</ref>

==Under-15 level (9-a-side)==
{{Infobox football league
| name = Junior League
| logo = Junior League logo.jpeg
| pixels = 200
| folded =
| divisions =
| teams =
| relegation =
| levels =
| league_cup =
| confed_cup =
| champions = Minerva Punjab
| current =
}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Edition
!Winners
|-
|2015–16
|Minerva Punjab
|-
|2016–17
|Minerva Punjab
|-
|2017–18
|Minerva Punjab
|-
|2018–19
|Minerva Punjab<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballcounter.com/2019/hero-junior-league-final-minerva-punjab-pip-bengaluru-fc-to-lift-title-for-the-4th-consecutive-year/|title=Hero Junior League final: Minerva Punjab pip Bengaluru FC to lift title for the 4th consecutive year|publisher=Football Counter|last=Shetty|first=Chittu|date=29 May 2019|access-date=23 December 2022|archive-date=25 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225113839/https://www.footballcounter.com/2019/hero-junior-league-final-minerva-punjab-pip-bengaluru-fc-to-lift-title-for-the-4th-consecutive-year/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|2019–20
|''called off due to [[COVID-19 pandemic in India|COVID-19 pandemic]]''
|}

==Under-13 level (7-a-side)==
{{Infobox football league
| name = Sub-Junior League
| logo = Sub-Junior league logo.jpeg
| pixels = 200
| folded =
| divisions =
| teams =
| relegation =
| levels =
| league_cup =
| confed_cup =
| champions = [[Reliance Foundation Young Champs]]
| current =
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Edition
!Winners
|-
|2017–18
|Minerva Punjab
|-
|2018–19
|[[Reliance Foundation Young Champs|RF Young Champs]]
|-
|2019–20
|''called off due to [[COVID-19 pandemic in India|COVID-19 pandemic]]''
|}

==See also==
* [[Junior National Football Championship]]
* [[Football in India]]
* [[Indian football league system]]
* [[History of Indian football]]
* [[Reliance Foundation Development League]]
* [[Indian Arrows]]
* [[Seven-a-side football]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.the-aiff.com/competitions/elite-league Hero Elite League]

{{Elite League (India)}}
{{I-League seasons}}
{{Football in India}}

[[Category:Youth League U18| ]]
[[Category:2011 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 2011]]
[[Category:Youth football leagues]]
[[Category:Youth football in India]]
[[Category:Football leagues in India]]
[[Category:Sports leagues in India]]
[[Category:Professional sports leagues in India]]

Youth League (India) - Revision history

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