Indian Football Association: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox football association
{{Short description|Governing body of association football in West Bengal, India}}
| name               = Indian Football Association (W.B.)
{{Distinguish|text = [[All India Football Federation|All India Football Federation (AIFF)]], the national governing body of [[Football in India|Indian football]]}}
| Logo                = IFA (WB) logo.svg
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
| Abbreviation       = IFA(WB)
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
| Founded            = {{foundation date and age|1893}}  
{{Infobox sport governing body
| Region              = [[All India Football Federation|AIFF]]
|name         = Indian Football Association (West Bengal)
| President          = Ajit Banerjee
|abbrev      = IFA
| Region affiliation  = 1937
|logo        = IFA (WB) logo.svg
| Website            = {{URL|https://ifawb.org/}}
|sport       = [[Association football|Football]]
| Headquarters        =[[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
|jurisdiction = [[West Bengal]]
| Vice-President      = * Shyamal Mitra
|founded      = {{start date and age|1893}}<ref>{{cite web |first=Arjun |last=Wadwha |url=http://www.thesportscampus.com/200805197/introduction-to-football/history-indian-football |title=History of Football in India |website=thesportscampus.com |publisher=TheSportsCampus |date=19 May 2008 |access-date=15 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825015957/http://www.thesportscampus.com/200805197/introduction-to-football/history-indian-football |archive-date=2012-08-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Tanumoy Basu
|aff          = [[All India Football Federation]] (AIFF)
* Dr. Partha Sarathi Ganguli
|headquarters = [[Kolkata]]
| Badge_size         =220px
|membership  = 23 district associations
|president    = Ajit Banerjee
|secretary    = Anirban Dutta
|url         = https://ifawb.in/
}}
}}


The '''Indian Football Association''', abbreviated as '''IFA''', is the organization that administers [[association football]] in the state of [[West Bengal]], [[India]]. It is the oldest Football Association in India and was founded in 1893. Among the founders was former [[England national football team|English]] international [[Elphinstone Jackson]].<ref>[http://www.iffhs.de/?3f4b05ffcd85bcca952b9b95205fdcdc3bfcdc0aec70aeeda30b IFFHS - Interesting and curious facts about full internationals and national players (1872-1900)]</ref>
The '''Indian Football Association''', abbreviated as '''IFA''', is the organisation that administers [[association football|football]] in the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thefangarage.com/articles/19091-calcutta-football-league-cfl-goes-bigger-than-ever-for-its-historic-125th-season|title=Calcutta Football League (CFL) goes bigger than ever for its historic 125th season|website=thefangarage.com|publisher=The Fan Garage|location=Kolkata|date=5 June 2023|access-date=6 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606060715/https://thefangarage.com/articles/19091-calcutta-football-league-cfl-goes-bigger-than-ever-for-its-historic-125th-season|archive-date=6 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ifawb.org/footballs-passage/|title=The passage of football in India|website=ifawb.org|publisher=[[Indian Football Association]]|location=Kolkata|access-date=11 September 2022|archive-date=29 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129163914/https://ifawb.org/footballs-passage/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gupta |first=Sabyasachi |date=2024-08-29 |title=কলকাতা ফুটবলে রেফারিংয়ে প্রযুক্তির নয়া দিগন্ত, আইএফএ ও যাদবপুর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের যুগ্ম প্রয়াস |url=https://bongfootball.in/ifa-introduces-new-technology-in-refereeing/ |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=Bong Football |language=en-US}}</ref> It is the oldest football association in India and was founded in 1893.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chaseyoursport.com/Football/The-Golden-Years-of-Indian-Football/659|title=The Golden Years of Indian Football|website=www.chaseyoursport.com|publisher=Chase Your Sport|location=Kolkata|first=Rounak|last=Majumdar|date=22 April 2019|access-date=28 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107230046/https://www.chaseyoursport.com/Football/The-Golden-Years-of-Indian-Football/659|archive-date=7 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://wbsportsandyouth.gov.in/chronology|title=Chronology of Important Sports Events — West Bengal|website=wbsportsandyouth.gov.in|publisher=Government of West Bengal – Department of youth services and sports|date=2017|access-date=25 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013092944/https://wbsportsandyouth.gov.in/chronology|archive-date=13 October 2022|location=Kolkata}}</ref> Among the founders was former [[England national football team|English]] international [[Elphinstone Jackson]].<ref>[http://www.iffhs.de/?3f4b05ffcd85bcca952b9b95205fdcdc3bfcdc0aec70aeeda30b IFFHS - Interesting and curious facts about full internationals and national players (1872–1900)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207184618/http://www.iffhs.de/?3f4b05ffcd85bcca952b9b95205fdcdc3bfcdc0aec70aeeda30b |date=2012-02-07 }}. ''iffhs.de''. Retrieved 28 October 2021.</ref>


It organizes tournaments such as the [[Calcutta Football League]], the [[Calcutta Women's Football League]] and the [[IFA Shield]]. From 2021, the IFA also took an initiative to start its own [[futsal]] league.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2021-01-28|title=First ever Futsal league in Bengal to kick off on 'Poila Baishakh'|url=https://thebridge.in/football/first-ever-futsal-league-in-bengal-to-kick-off-on-poila-baishakh/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=The Bridge|language=en-GB}}</ref>
The IFA organises tournaments such as the [[Calcutta Football League]], the [[Kanyashree Cup|Calcutta Women's Football League]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-26 |title=Indian women football team will play against two top tier-1 Swedish teams |url=https://bet365india.app/news/indian-women-football-team-will-play-against-two-top-tier-1-swedish-teams/ |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=Bet365India |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522052723/https://bet365india.app/news/indian-women-football-team-will-play-against-two-top-tier-1-swedish-teams/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the [[IFA Shield]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=History in Timeline of Indian Football|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/history|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308124507/http://www.the-aiff.com/history|archive-date=8 March 2020|access-date=2021-02-15|website=the-aiff.com|publisher=[[All India Football Federation]]}}</ref> In 2021, the IFA also took an initiative to start its own [[futsal]] league.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2021-01-28|title=First ever Futsal league in Bengal to kick off on 'Poila Baishakh'|url=https://thebridge.in/football/first-ever-futsal-league-in-bengal-to-kick-off-on-poila-baishakh/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=The Bridge|language=en-GB|archive-date=2021-01-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128164525/https://thebridge.in/football/first-ever-futsal-league-in-bengal-to-kick-off-on-poila-baishakh/|url-status=live}}</ref>
It also sends state teams for [[Santosh Trophy]] and [[Rajmata Jijabai Trophy]].


==History==
==History==
Contrary to the name, the association does not administer the game in India, a task that falls to the [[All India Football Federation]] (AIFF), instead governs the game in the state of [[West Bengal]]. However, before the formation of the AIFF, the IFA was in ''[[de facto]]'' control of football in India by virtue of its administration by [[English people|Englishmen]] as well as its affiliation to the [[the Football Association|British Football Association]] (the FA). Hence, all foreign tours were conducted by the IFA and also foreign teams negotiated with the IFA for visits to India. In its formative years, the only Indian representative in the English dominated executive committee was Kalicharan Mitra from the [[Shobhabazar|Sovabazar]] Club. By vigorously promoting the game in [[Bengal]], the IFA became undivided India's premier football body in the early decades of the 20th century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2017-03-25|title=The Birth of the All India Football Federation {{!}} Novy Kapadia|url=https://www.saddahaq.com/the-birth-of-the-all-india-football-federation|access-date=2021-02-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325112623/https://www.saddahaq.com/the-birth-of-the-all-india-football-federation|archive-date=2017-03-25}}</ref>
Contrary to the name, the association does not administer the game in India, a task that falls to the [[All India Football Federation]] (AIFF), instead governs the game in the state of [[West Bengal]]. However, before the formation of the AIFF, the IFA was in ''[[de facto]]'' control of football in India by virtue of its administration by [[English people|Englishmen]] as well as its affiliation to [[the Football Association]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.123india.com/alokghosh/Heritage/Our%20Sportsmen.htm|title=OUR SPORTSMEN: Gostha Pal|website=123india.com|access-date=27 September 2007|archive-date=27 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210527/http://home.123india.com/alokghosh/Heritage/Our%20Sportsmen.htm}}</ref> Hence, all foreign tours were conducted by the IFA and also foreign teams negotiated with the IFA for visits to India. In its formative years, the only Indian representative in the English dominated executive committee was Kalicharan Mitra from the Sovabazar Club.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/talking-point/how-football-kicked-off-in-india-111645287939737.html|title=How football kicked off in India {{!}} As with the English language, when the British transported the sport to India, they didn't expect the 'natives' to beat them at it|website=lifestyle.livemint.com|publisher=[[Mint (newspaper)|Livemint Delhi]]|date=8 June 2018|access-date=27 January 2022|first=Manu S|last=Pillai|location=Delhi, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714153151/https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/talking-point/how-football-kicked-off-in-india-111645287939737.html|archive-date=14 July 2022}}</ref> By vigorously promoting the game in [[Bengal]], the IFA became undivided India's premier football body in the early decades of the 20th century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2017-03-25|title=The Birth of the All India Football Federation {{!}} Novy Kapadia|url=https://www.saddahaq.com/the-birth-of-the-all-india-football-federation|access-date=2021-02-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325112623/https://www.saddahaq.com/the-birth-of-the-all-india-football-federation|archive-date=2017-03-25}}</ref>


Through the efforts of [[Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari]] (''The Father of Indian Football''), A.R. Brown and B.C. Lindsay of [[Dalhousie AC]], and Watson of [[Calcutta Cricket and Football Club|Calcutta FC]], the IFA was established in 1893. A.R. Brown was the first Secretary of the IFA. [[Norman Pritchard|Norman Prichard]], the first Indian to win an [[Olympic medal]], was the Secretary of the IFA in 1900.The most remarkable person to head the IFA was the [[Maharaja]] of [[Santosh, Bangladesh|Santosh]], [[Sir]] M.N. Roy Chowdhury. During his tenure the IFA played an instrumental role in the formation of the AIFF.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://ifawb.org/about-us/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=IFAWB|language=en-US}}</ref>
Through the efforts of [[Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari]] (the ''father of Indian football''), A.R. Brown and B.C. Lindsay of [[Dalhousie AC]], and Watson of [[Calcutta Cricket and Football Club|Calcutta FC]], the IFA was established in 1893.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thebridge.in/featured/nagendra-prasad-the-father-indian-football-removed-prejudice-indian-sports/|title=Nagendra Prasad — The father of Indian football who removed prejudice from the sport|website=thebridge.in|publisher=The Bridge|date=25 January 2020|access-date=24 October 2022|first=Sarah|last=Waris|location=Kolkata|archive-date=24 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024082132/https://thebridge.in/amp/featured/nagendra-prasad-the-father-indian-football-removed-prejudice-indian-sports/}}</ref> A.R. Brown was the first Secretary of the IFA. [[Norman Pritchard|Norman Prichard]], the first Indian to win an [[Olympic medal]], was the Secretary of the IFA in 1900.The most remarkable person to head the IFA was the [[Maharaja]] of [[Santosh, Bangladesh|Santosh]], [[Sir]] M.N. Roy Chowdhury. During his tenure the IFA played an instrumental role in the formation of the AIFF.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://ifawb.org/about-us/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=IFAWB|language=en-US|archive-date=2023-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124122335/https://ifawb.org/about-us/|url-status=live}}</ref>


The IFA had organised many historical tournaments like the Trades Cup, the Gladstone Cup, the [[Cooch Behar]] Cup and the coveted [[IFA Shield]], prior to the incorporation of [[Calcutta Football League]] in 1898.
The IFA had organised many historical tournaments like the [[Trades Cup]], the Gladstone Cup, the [[Cooch Behar Cup]] and the coveted [[IFA Shield]], prior to the incorporation of [[Calcutta Football League]] in 1898. The Trades Cup is the oldest tournament in Kolkata, being instituted in 1889.<ref>{{cite book |title=Portrait Of Indian Sport |url=https://archive.org/details/portraitofinidan00anth |publisher= P R Macmillan Limited, London |last1=D'Mello |first1=Anthony |page=186 |date=1959 |access-date=25 September 2022 }}</ref>


Clubs outside [[Bengal]] complained about the lack of neutrality in the affairs of the IFA. This disillusionment of clubs and patrons led to the formation of associations such as the [[Western India Football Association|Western Indian Football Association]], which preferred to be governed by themselves rather than by the IFA. After years of numerous conferences and meetings, the IFA along with other five regional football associations broke their mutual deadlock to form the AIFF in 1937.<ref name=":0" />
Clubs outside [[Bengal]] complained about the lack of neutrality in the affairs of the IFA. This disillusionment of clubs and patrons led to the formation of associations such as the [[Western India Football Association]], which preferred to be governed by themselves rather than by the IFA. After years of numerous conferences and meetings, the IFA along with other five regional football associations broke their mutual deadlock to form the AIFF in 1937.<ref name=":0" />


Since the establishment of the IFA, the promotion and development of the sport was restricted within the borders of [[Kolkata]] and few other [[List of districts of West Bengal|districts]] of [[South Bengal|southern]] [[West Bengal|Bengal]]. There were negligible efforts taken to spread the sport throughout the state, especially in [[North Bengal|northern]] [[West Bengal|Bengal]]. In 2021, the then Secretary of the IFA, Joydeep Mukherjee, led the plans to do so and thus initiated the ''[[Uttarbanga Cup|Uttorbongo Cup]]'' (North Bengal Cup) and ''[[Kalyani, West Bengal|Kalyani]] Cup'' to scout newer talents from the neglected sections of the state.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-22|title=All systems go : Uttarbanga Cup ready to take off|url=https://ifawb.org/uttarbanga-cup-ready-to-take-off/|access-date=2021-02-27|website=IFAWB|language=en-US}}</ref> The IFA also launched a [[futsal]] competition in order to introduce and promote the sport in the state at a professional level.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-26|title=IFA Plan To Organize Futsal Tourney Featuring East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting {{!}} The Fan Garage (TFG)|url=https://thefangarage.com/articles/17878-ifa-plan-to-organize-futsal-tourney-featuring-east-bengal-mohun-bagan-mohammedan-sporting|access-date=2021-02-27|website=thefangarage.com}}</ref>
==State teams==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
 
===Men===
* [[West Bengal football team]]
* [[West Bengal under-20 football team]]
* [[West Bengal under-15 football team]]
* [[West Bengal under-13 football team]]
{{col-2}}
 
===Women===
* [[West Bengal women's football team]]
* [[West Bengal women's under-19 football team]]
* [[West Bengal women's under-17 football team]]
{{col-end}}
 
==Affiliated district associations==
The 23 district associations affiliated with the '''Indian Football Association'''.
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! No. !! Association !! District/Region
|-
| 1 || Alipurduar District Sports Association || [[Alipurduar district|Alipurduar]]
|-
| 2 || Bankura District Sports Association || [[Bankura district|Bankura]]
|-
| 3 || Burdwan District Sports Association || [[Paschim Bardhaman district|Paschim Bardhaman]] and [[Purba Bardhaman district|Purba Bardhaman]]
|-
| 4 || Birbhum District Sports Association || [[Birbhum district|Birbhum]]
|-
| 5 || Chandernagore Sporting Association || [[Chandannagar]] ([[Hooghly district|Hooghly]])
|-
| 6 || Cooch Behar District Sports Association || [[Cooch Behar district|Cooch Behar]]
|-
| 7 || Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Sports Association || [[Darjeeling]] ([[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]])
|-
| 8 || Dakshin Dinajpur District Sports Association || [[Dakshin Dinajpur district|Dakshin Dinajpur]]
|-
| 9 || Hooghly District Sports Association || [[Hooghly district|Hooghly]]
|-
| 10 || Howrah District Sports Association || [[Howrah district|Howrah]]
|-
| 11 || Jalpaiguri District Sports Association || [[Jalpaiguri district|Jalpaiguri]]
|-
| 12 || Jhargram District Sports Association || [[Jhargram district|Jhargram]]
|-
| 13 || Kalimpong District Sports Association || [[Kalimpong district|Kalimpong]]
|-
| 14 || Malda District Sports Association || [[Malda district|Malda]]
|-
| 15 || Manbhum Sports Association || [[Purulia district|Purulia]]
|-
| 16 || Murshidabad District Sports Association || [[Murshidabad district|Murshidabad]]
|-
| 17 || Nadia District Sports Association || [[Nadia district|Nadia]]
|-
| 18 || North 24 Parganas District Sports Association || [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]]
|-
| 19 || Paschim Medinipur District Sports Association || [[Paschim Medinipur district|Paschim Medinipur]]
|-
| 20 || Purba Medinipur District Sports Association || [[Purba Medinipur district|Purba Medinipur]]
|-
| 21 || Siliguri Mahakuma Krira Parishad || [[Siliguri]] ([[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]])
|-
| 22 || South 24 Parganas District Sports Association || [[South 24 Parganas]]
|-
| 23 || Uttar Dinajpur District Sports Association || [[Uttar Dinajpur district|Uttar Dinajpur]]
|}


==Competitions==
==Competitions==
===Men's===
===Men's===
* [[Calcutta Football League]]  
* [[Calcutta Football League]]
* [[Bengal Super League]] ([[North American professional sports league organization|franchise]])
* [[IFA Shield]]
* [[IFA Shield]]
* [[Uttarbanga Cup]]
* [[Uttarbanga Cup]]
* Jayanta Chatterjee Inter District Football Tournament
* IFA Futsal Championship


===Women's===
===Women's===
* [[Calcutta Women's Football League]]
* [[Kanyashree Cup|Calcutta Women's Football League]]
* [[Women's IFA Shield]]
 
===Youth===
* [[Calcutta Football League|CFL]] 5th Division Group B
* IFA Nursery League
 
==West Bengal Football League pyramid==
===Men's===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!colspan="2" |Calcutta Football League
|-
!Tier
!Division
|-
!1<br /><sub>(Level 5 on Indian Football [[Indian football league system|pyramid]])</sub>
|CFL Premier Division
<sub>''↑promote ([[I-League 3]]) ↓relegate 4''</sub>
|-
!2<br /><sub>(Level 6 on Indian Football [[Indian football league system|pyramid]])</sub>
|CFL 1st Division
<sub>''↑promote 2        ↓relegate 2''</sub>
|-
!3<br /><sub>(Level 7 on Indian Football [[Indian football league system|pyramid]])</sub>
|CFL 2nd Division
<sub>''↑promote 2        ↓relegate 2''</sub>
|-
!4<br /><sub>(Level 8 on Indian Football [[Indian football league system|pyramid]])</sub>
|CFL 3rd Division
<sub>''↑promote 2        ↓relegate 2''</sub>
|-
!5<br /><sub>(Level 9 on Indian Football [[Indian football league system|pyramid]])</sub>
|CFL 4th Division
<sub>''↑promote 2        ↓relegate 2''</sub>
|-
!6<br /><sub>(Level 10 on Indian Football [[Indian football league system|pyramid]])</sub>
|CFL 5th Division Group A
<sub>''↑promote 2        ↓relegate 2''</sub>
|-
!7<br /><sub>(Level 11 on Indian Football [[Indian football league system|pyramid]])</sub>
|CFL 5th Division Group B
<sub>''↑promote 2''</sub>
|}


=== Youth's ===
===Women's===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="2" |Calcutta Women's Football League
|-
!Tier
!Division
|-
!I<br/><sub>(Level 3 on Indian Women's Football [[Indian football league system|pyramid]])</sub>
|CWFL Premier Division A <br/>''<sub>↑promote ({{nowrap|to [[Indian Women's League 2]]}}) ↓relegate</sub>''
|-
!II<br/><sub>(Level 4 on Indian Women's Football [[Indian football league system|pyramid]])</sub>
|CWFL Premier Division B <br/>''<sub>↑promote</sub>''
|}


* [[Calcutta Football League|CFL]] 5th Division Group B <sub>(Age group: 13 to 16)</sub>
==Evolution==
<onlyinclude><!-- to include this table on other pages {{:Indian Football Association|transcludesection=Evolution}} -->
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 11px ;"
! colspan="2" |Years
! rowspan="2" |1889–1893
! rowspan="2" |1893
! rowspan="2" |1893–1993
! rowspan="2" |1993–2019
! rowspan="2" |2019–2021
! rowspan="2" |2021–2023
! rowspan="2" |2023–present
|-
! colspan="2" |'''Level'''
|-
| colspan="9" bgcolor="#4f0d0e"|{{ font color | white |'''Men's'''}}
|-
! rowspan="7" |State leagues
| bgcolor="gold" |'''1'''
| rowspan="7" |''None''
| rowspan="7" bgcolor="#A1E6FF" | Formation of <br/> [[Indian Football Association|Indian Football Association (IFA)]]
| colspan="5" bgcolor="gold" |[[Calcutta Football League|CFL Premier Division]]
|-
| bgcolor="silver" |'''2'''
| colspan="2" |''None''
| colspan="3" bgcolor="silver" |CFL 1st Division
|-
| bgcolor="#cc9966" |'''3'''
| colspan="4" rowspan="5" |''None''
| bgcolor="#cc9966" |CFL 2nd Division
|-
| bgcolor="#dc7f80" |'''4'''
| bgcolor="#dc7f80" |CFL 3rd Division
|-
| bgcolor="#f7da4e" |'''5'''
| bgcolor="#f7da4e" |CFL 4th Division
|-
| bgcolor="#399157" |'''6'''
| bgcolor="#399157" |CFL 5th Division Group A
|-
| bgcolor="#9fc440" |'''7'''
| bgcolor="#9fc440" |CFL 5th Division Group B
|-
! colspan="9" |
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Cup competitions
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#DEFF97" |[[Trades Cup]]
| colspan="3" |''Discontinued''
|-
|
| bgcolor="#A1E6FF" |
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#DEFF97" |[[IFA Shield]]
| colspan="2" |''Not continued''
|-
| colspan="9" bgcolor="#e19650"|{{ font color | white |'''Women's'''}}
|-
! rowspan="2" |State leagues
| bgcolor="gold" |'''1'''
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" bgcolor="#A1E6FF" |
|''None''
| colspan="4" bgcolor="gold" |[[Kanyashree Cup|Kanyashree Cup Premier Division A]]
|-
| bgcolor="silver" |'''2'''
| colspan="4" |''None''
| bgcolor="gold" |Kanyashree Cup Premier Division B
|-
! colspan="9" |
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Cup competitions
|
| bgcolor="#A1E6FF" |
| colspan="4" |''None''
| bgcolor="#DEFF97" |[[Women's IFA Shield]]
|}
</onlyinclude>


==Corporate structure==
==Management==
{{As of|January 2021}}
{{As of|2022}}
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Office
!Office
Line 51: Line 254:
|President
|President
|Ajit Banerjee
|Ajit Banerjee
|-
|Secretary
|Joydeep Mukherjee
|-
|-
|Chairman
|Chairman
|Subrata Dutta
|Subrata Dutta
|-
|-
| rowspan="3" |Vice-president
| rowspan="3" |Vice-president(s)
|Shyamal Mitra
|Sudeshna Mukherjee
|-
|-
|Tanumoy Basu
|Saurav Pal
|-
|-
|Dr. Partha Sarathi Ganguli
|Swarup Biswas
|-
|-
|Treasurer
|Secretary
|Krishnendu Banerjee
|Anirban Dutta
|-
|-
| rowspan="4" |Joint Asst. Secretary
| rowspan="3" |Assistant Secretary(s)
|Sufal Ranjan Giri
|Rakesh Kumar Jha
|-
|-
|Rakesh Jha
|MD Jamal
|-
|-
|Subhasish Sarkar
|Biswajit Bhaduri
|-
|-
|Nazrul Islam
|Treasurer
|Debasish Sarkar
|}
|}


==See also==
==See also==
* [[List of Indian state football associations]]
* [[Football in Kolkata]]
* [[Football in West Bengal]]
* [[Football in India]]
* [[Football in India]]
* [[Football in Kolkata]]
* [[Premier League Soccer (India)|Premier League Soccer]]
* [[IFA Shield]]
* [[Calcutta Football League|Calcutta Premier Division]]
* [[West Bengal football team]]
* [[List of football clubs in Kolkata]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last1=Mitra | first=Soumen |date=1 January 2006 |title=In Search of an Identity: The History of Football in Colonial Calcutta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fZbgPgAACAAJ |publisher=Dasgupta & Co. Private Ltd. |location=Kolkata |isbn=978-8182110229 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021163751/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/In_Search_of_an_Identity.html?id=fZbgPgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y |archive-date=21 October 2022 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Kapadia |first1=Novy |year=2017|title=Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football |publisher=Penguin Random House |isbn=978-0-143-42641-7 }}
*{{cite book |last=Majumdar, Boria |first=Bandyopadhyay, Kausik |year=2006 |title=Goalless: The Story of a Unique Footballing Nation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i55oAAAACAAJ |publisher=[[Penguin Books|Penguin India]] |isbn=9780670058747 }}
*Dutta, P. L., ''Memoir of 'Father of Indian Football' Nagendraprasad Sarbadhikary'' (Calcutta: N. P. Sarbadhikary Memorial Committee, 1944) (hereafter Memoir)
*Ghosh, Saurindra Kumar. ''Krira Samrat Nagendraprasad Sarbadhikary 1869–1940'' (Calcutta: N. P. Sarbadhikary Memorial Committee, 1963) (hereafter Krira Samrat).
*Roselli, John. ''Self Image of Effeteness: Physical Education and Nationalism in Nineteenth Century Bengal''. [[Past & Present (journal)]]. 86 (February 1980). p.&nbsp;121–48.
*Sinha, Mrinalini. ''Colonial Masculinity, The Manly Englishman and the Effeminate Bengali in the Late Nineteenth Century'' ([[Manchester]]: [[Manchester University Press]], 1995).
*Chatterjee, Partha. ''The Nation and Its Fragments: Colonial and Post-colonial Histories'' (Calcutta: [[Oxford University Press]], 1995).
*Mason, ''Football on the Maidan'', p.&nbsp;144; Dimeo, ''Football and Politics in Bengal'', p.&nbsp;62.
*{{cite book|last=Sen|first=Dwaipayan|year=2013|chapter=Wiping the Stain Off the Field of Plassey: Mohun Bagan in 1911|editor-last1=Bandyopadhyay|editor-first1=Kausik|editor-last2=Mallick|editor-first2=Sabyasachi|title=Fringe Nations in World Soccer|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-99810-5}}
*{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QbUFaAEACAAJ|title=History of Indian Football: Upto 2009–10|first=Nirmal|last=Nath|year=2011|publisher=Readers Service|isbn=9788187891963|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722172604/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/History_of_Indian_Football.html?id=QbUFaAEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y|archive-date=22 July 2022}}
*{{cite web |url=http://pierretristam.com/pdfs/wc10.pdf |title=Triumphs and Disasters: The Story of Indian Football, 1889—2000. |access-date=20 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813081005/http://pierretristam.com/pdfs/wc10.pdf |archive-date=13 August 2012 |url-status=dead}}
*{{cite book |title=Portrait Of Indian Sport |url=https://archive.org/details/portraitofinidan00anth |publisher= P R Macmillan Limited, London |last1=D'Mello |first1=Anthony |date=1959 }}
*[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14660970500106295?journalCode=fsas20 ''From recreation to competition: Early history of Indian football''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709181632/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14660970500106295?journalCode=fsas20 |date=9 July 2021 }}. pp.&nbsp;124–141. Published online: 6 Aug 2006. ''www.tandfonline.com''. Retrieved 30 June 2021.


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://the-ifa.org/ IFA Official Site]
* {{Facebook|100072192044848}}
*[https://www.the-aiff.com/association/494 IFA page on AIFF Website]
* {{Twitter|IFABengal}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNa4rEtIB-3QlzA_St6fzGA IFA Official YouTube Channel]
* {{Instagram|ifa.wb}}
* [https://www.the-aiff.com/association/494 IFA] on [[All India Football Federation|the-AIFF.com]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNa4rEtIB-3QlzA_St6fzGA IFA] on [[YouTube]]


{{IFA seasons}}
{{IFA seasons}}
Line 100: Line 318:
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Football governing bodies in India]]
[[Category:Football governing bodies in India|West Bengal]]
[[Category:Sports organizations established in 1893]]
[[Category:Sports organizations established in 1893]]
[[Category:Football in West Bengal| ]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Kolkata]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Kolkata]]
[[Category:1893 establishments in British India]]
[[Category:1893 establishments in British India]]

Latest revision as of 00:57, 30 October 2025


Not to be confused with All India Football Federation (AIFF), the national governing body of Indian football.

Indian Football Association (West Bengal)
SportFootball
JurisdictionWest Bengal
Membership23 district associations
AbbreviationIFA
Founded1893; 133 years ago (1893)[1]
AffiliationAll India Football Federation (AIFF)
HeadquartersKolkata
PresidentAjit Banerjee
SecretaryAnirban Dutta
Official website
ifawb.in

The Indian Football Association, abbreviated as IFA, is the organisation that administers football in the Indian state of West Bengal.[2][3][4] It is the oldest football association in India and was founded in 1893.[5][6] Among the founders was former English international Elphinstone Jackson.[7]

The IFA organises tournaments such as the Calcutta Football League, the Calcutta Women's Football League[8] and the IFA Shield.[9] In 2021, the IFA also took an initiative to start its own futsal league.[10] It also sends state teams for Santosh Trophy and Rajmata Jijabai Trophy.

History[edit | edit source]

Contrary to the name, the association does not administer the game in India, a task that falls to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), instead governs the game in the state of West Bengal. However, before the formation of the AIFF, the IFA was in de facto control of football in India by virtue of its administration by Englishmen as well as its affiliation to the Football Association.[11] Hence, all foreign tours were conducted by the IFA and also foreign teams negotiated with the IFA for visits to India. In its formative years, the only Indian representative in the English dominated executive committee was Kalicharan Mitra from the Sovabazar Club.[12] By vigorously promoting the game in Bengal, the IFA became undivided India's premier football body in the early decades of the 20th century.[13]

Through the efforts of Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari (the father of Indian football), A.R. Brown and B.C. Lindsay of Dalhousie AC, and Watson of Calcutta FC, the IFA was established in 1893.[14] A.R. Brown was the first Secretary of the IFA. Norman Prichard, the first Indian to win an Olympic medal, was the Secretary of the IFA in 1900.The most remarkable person to head the IFA was the Maharaja of Santosh, Sir M.N. Roy Chowdhury. During his tenure the IFA played an instrumental role in the formation of the AIFF.[15]

The IFA had organised many historical tournaments like the Trades Cup, the Gladstone Cup, the Cooch Behar Cup and the coveted IFA Shield, prior to the incorporation of Calcutta Football League in 1898. The Trades Cup is the oldest tournament in Kolkata, being instituted in 1889.[16]

Clubs outside Bengal complained about the lack of neutrality in the affairs of the IFA. This disillusionment of clubs and patrons led to the formation of associations such as the Western India Football Association, which preferred to be governed by themselves rather than by the IFA. After years of numerous conferences and meetings, the IFA along with other five regional football associations broke their mutual deadlock to form the AIFF in 1937.[13]

State teams[edit | edit source]

Affiliated district associations[edit | edit source]

The 23 district associations affiliated with the Indian Football Association.

No. Association District/Region
1 Alipurduar District Sports Association Alipurduar
2 Bankura District Sports Association Bankura
3 Burdwan District Sports Association Paschim Bardhaman and Purba Bardhaman
4 Birbhum District Sports Association Birbhum
5 Chandernagore Sporting Association Chandannagar (Hooghly)
6 Cooch Behar District Sports Association Cooch Behar
7 Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Sports Association Darjeeling (Darjeeling)
8 Dakshin Dinajpur District Sports Association Dakshin Dinajpur
9 Hooghly District Sports Association Hooghly
10 Howrah District Sports Association Howrah
11 Jalpaiguri District Sports Association Jalpaiguri
12 Jhargram District Sports Association Jhargram
13 Kalimpong District Sports Association Kalimpong
14 Malda District Sports Association Malda
15 Manbhum Sports Association Purulia
16 Murshidabad District Sports Association Murshidabad
17 Nadia District Sports Association Nadia
18 North 24 Parganas District Sports Association North 24 Parganas
19 Paschim Medinipur District Sports Association Paschim Medinipur
20 Purba Medinipur District Sports Association Purba Medinipur
21 Siliguri Mahakuma Krira Parishad Siliguri (Darjeeling)
22 South 24 Parganas District Sports Association South 24 Parganas
23 Uttar Dinajpur District Sports Association Uttar Dinajpur

Competitions[edit | edit source]

Men's[edit | edit source]

Women's[edit | edit source]

Youth[edit | edit source]

  • CFL 5th Division Group B
  • IFA Nursery League

West Bengal Football League pyramid[edit | edit source]

Men's[edit | edit source]

Calcutta Football League
Tier Division
1
(Level 5 on Indian Football pyramid) 		CFL Premier Division

↑promote (I-League 3) ↓relegate 4

2
(Level 6 on Indian Football pyramid) 		CFL 1st Division

↑promote 2 ↓relegate 2

3
(Level 7 on Indian Football pyramid) 		CFL 2nd Division

↑promote 2 ↓relegate 2

4
(Level 8 on Indian Football pyramid) 		CFL 3rd Division

↑promote 2 ↓relegate 2

5
(Level 9 on Indian Football pyramid) 		CFL 4th Division

↑promote 2 ↓relegate 2

6
(Level 10 on Indian Football pyramid) 		CFL 5th Division Group A

↑promote 2 ↓relegate 2

7
(Level 11 on Indian Football pyramid) 		CFL 5th Division Group B

↑promote 2

Women's[edit | edit source]

Calcutta Women's Football League
Tier Division
I
(Level 3 on Indian Women's Football pyramid) 		CWFL Premier Division A
↑promote (to Indian Women's League 2) ↓relegate
II
(Level 4 on Indian Women's Football pyramid) 		CWFL Premier Division B
↑promote

Evolution[edit | edit source]

Years 1889–1893 1893 1893–1993 1993–2019 2019–2021 2021–2023 2023–present
Level
Men's
State leagues 1 None Formation of
Indian Football Association (IFA) 		CFL Premier Division
2 None CFL 1st Division
3 None CFL 2nd Division
4 CFL 3rd Division
5 CFL 4th Division
6 CFL 5th Division Group A
7 CFL 5th Division Group B
Cup competitions Trades Cup Discontinued
IFA Shield Not continued
Women's
State leagues 1 None Kanyashree Cup Premier Division A
2 None Kanyashree Cup Premier Division B
Cup competitions None Women's IFA Shield


Management[edit | edit source]

As of 2022

Office Name
President Ajit Banerjee
Chairman Subrata Dutta
Vice-president(s) Sudeshna Mukherjee
Saurav Pal
Swarup Biswas
Secretary Anirban Dutta
Assistant Secretary(s) Rakesh Kumar Jha
MD Jamal
Biswajit Bhaduri
Treasurer Debasish Sarkar

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Wadwha, Arjun (19 May 2008). "History of Football in India". thesportscampus.com. TheSportsCampus. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  2. ↑ "Calcutta Football League (CFL) goes bigger than ever for its historic 125th season". thefangarage.com. Kolkata: The Fan Garage. 5 June 2023. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "The passage of football in India". ifawb.org. Kolkata: Indian Football Association. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  4. ↑ Gupta, Sabyasachi (29 August 2024). "কলকাতা ফুটবলে রেফারিংয়ে প্রযুক্তির নয়া দিগন্ত, আইএফএ ও যাদবপুর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের যুগ্ম প্রয়াস". Bong Football. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  5. ↑ Majumdar, Rounak (22 April 2019). "The Golden Years of Indian Football". www.chaseyoursport.com. Kolkata: Chase Your Sport. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  6. ↑ "Chronology of Important Sports Events — West Bengal". wbsportsandyouth.gov.in. Kolkata: Government of West Bengal – Department of youth services and sports. 2017. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  7. ↑ IFFHS - Interesting and curious facts about full internationals and national players (1872–1900) Archived 2012-02-07 at the Wayback Machine. iffhs.de. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Indian women football team will play against two top tier-1 Swedish teams". Bet365India. 26 October 2021. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  9. ↑ "History in Timeline of Indian Football". the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  10. ↑ "First ever Futsal league in Bengal to kick off on 'Poila Baishakh'". The Bridge. 28 January 2021. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  11. ↑ "OUR SPORTSMEN: Gostha Pal". 123india.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
  12. ↑ Pillai, Manu S (8 June 2018). "How football kicked off in India | As with the English language, when the British transported the sport to India, they didn't expect the 'natives' to beat them at it". lifestyle.livemint.com. Delhi, India: Livemint Delhi. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "The Birth of the All India Football Federation | Novy Kapadia". 25 March 2017. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  14. ↑ Waris, Sarah (25 January 2020). "Nagendra Prasad — The father of Indian football who removed prejudice from the sport". thebridge.in. Kolkata: The Bridge. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  15. ↑ "About Us". IFAWB. Archived from the original on 24 January 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  16. ↑ D'Mello, Anthony (1959). Portrait Of Indian Sport. P R Macmillan Limited, London. p. 186. Retrieved 25 September 2022.

Further reading[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Template:Football in Kolkata

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