2023–24 I-League

The 2023–24 I-League was the 17th season of the I-League and the second season as the second tier of Indian football league system.

Mohammedan won the I-League for the first time and were promoted to the Indian Super League, while TRAU and NEROCA were relegated to I-League 2.

Changes from last season

Teams

Promoted to Indian Super League

• RoundGlass Punjab

Promoted from I-League 2

• Delhi
• Shillong Lajong

Relegated to I-League 2

• Mumbai Kenkre
• Sudeva Delhi

Corporate entries

The AIFF accepted five bids for direct entry to I-League.

• Inter Kashi
• Namdhari

Bunkerhill Pvt Ltd (Ambala) withdrew its bid after inking a majority shareholding in Mohammedan. Nimida United Sports Development Pvt Ltd (Bengaluru United) and Concatenate Advest Advisory Pvt Ltd (Delhi) were unable to fulfill the bid conditions.

Inter Kashi, from a tier-2 city (Varanasi), will have relegation immunity for two seasons; while Namdhari, from a tier-3 city (Bhaini Ala), will be free from relegation for one season.

Rules

After the clubs requested to increase the maximum number of players allowed in a squad, the Committee decided to increase the player quota from 30 to 35. Clubs will also have to sign eight U-22 players.

Format

AIFF proposed to revamp the league format by dividing the 16 teams into two conferences or zones, similar to Major League Soccer, with the top 4 teams from each conference qualifying for the playoffs and the bottom four battling to avoid relegation, instead of traditional home-away format. The change was suggested to make the league cost-effective for clubs by reducing travel time. However, with only 13 teams left to participate in the league, the proposed changes were dropped in favor of the traditional home-away format.

Clubs

13 teams compete in this edition of the I-League; nine from the previous season, two promoted from the 2022–23 I-League 2, and two with direct entry. Five teams are set to play their home games out of their home state or city because of various reasons.

2023–24 I-League clubs

Personnel and sponsorship

Coaching changes

Foreign players

Note: Players in bold have senior international cap(s) for their respective nations.

Initially, the AIFF committee decided to reduce registered foreign players to five in the squad and three in the starting line-up and remove the mandatory Asian quota.

However, on 22nd August 2023, the AIFF decided to retain the number of foreigners a club can sign in the I-League. Like the 2022–23 season, clubs can register six foreign players in their matchday squad. However, they can field only four (one must be from an AFC Member Association) at any given point during a match.

League table

Results

Results by games

Season statistics

As of 13 April 2024

Top scorers

Hat-tricks

Top assists

Clean sheets

Attendances

Overall statistical table

Attendances by home matches

Legend:   Highest   Lowest
Updated to game(s) played on 13 April 2024
Source: I-League

Awards

Hero of the Match

Álex Sánchez (Gokulam Kerala) has won the Hero of the Match award the most number of times (7).

Annual awards

See also

• Men
  • 2023–24 Indian Super League (Tier I)
  • 2023–24 I-League 2 (Tier III)
  • 2023–24 I-League 3 (Tier IV)
  • 2023–24 Indian State Leagues (Tier V)
  • 2024 Super Cup
  • 2023 Durand Cup
  • 2024 Reliance Foundation Development League
• Women
  • 2023–24 Indian Women's League
  • 2023–24 Indian Women's League 2

Notes

References