Football league
 | |
| Organising body | AIFF |
|---|---|
| Founded | 13 June 2023; 18 months ago (2023-06-13) |
| Country | India |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of clubs | TBA |
| Level on pyramid | 4 |
| Promotion to | I-League 2 |
| Relegation to | State leagues (provisionally) |
| Domestic cup(s) | Durand Cup |
| Current champions | Diamond Harbour (1st title) |
| Most championships | Diamond Harbour Sporting Goa (1 title each) |
| TV partners | SportsCast India SportsKPI SportVot AIFF (YouTube) |
| Website | I-League.org |
| Current: 2024–25 | |
The I-League 3 is a men's professional football league in India. It forms the fourth tier of the Indian football league system, below the I-League 2 and above the State leagues.
History
For the first time, the AIFF introduced qualifiers for the I-League 2 in the 2022–23 season. On 13 June 2023, the AIFF league committee announced introducing a new league below the I-League 2, where champions of State leagues and nominated clubs will play. State FAs have to nominate a team before July 31. The AIFF wants to create a competitive pyramid with a concrete progression pathway, aimed to allow even the smallest of clubs to get promoted to the higher divisions.
Clubs
Downtown HeroesSesaDalbirAbbas Unionclass=notpageimage| Locations of 2025–26 I-League 3 group stage clubs
Current clubs
| No. | Club | City | State | League | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sesa FA | Sanquelim | Goa | 2024–25 I-League 3 Playoffs | 4th |
| 2 | Abbas Union FC | Hyderabad | Telangana | 2024–25 I-League 3 Playoffs | 4th |
| 3 | Dalbir FA | Patiala | Punjab | 2024–25 I-League 3 Playoffs | 5th |
| 4 | Downtown Heroes FC | Srinagar | Jammu and Kashmir | 2024–25 I-League 3 Playoffs | 5th |
- Participation via an invitation
All-time clubs
| Currently in I-League 3 | |
| Currently in Indian Super League or I-League or I-League 2 | |
| Currently in State leagues | |
| Defunct clubs |
As of 2024
Clubs relegated to I-League 3
| Season | Clubs |
|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Kenkre, Maharashtra Oranje |
| 2024–25 |
Clubs promoted from I-League 3
| Season | Clubs |
|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Sporting Goa, Dempo, Sporting Bengaluru |
| 2024–25 | Diamond Harbour, Chanmari, SAT, KLASA |
| 2025–26 | Karbi Anglong Morning Star, MYJ–GMSC |
Results
- Source:
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | No. of teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Sporting Goa | Dempo | 25 |
| 2024–25 | Diamond Harbour | Chanmari | 25 |
See also
Portals:
- Football in India
- History of Indian football
- List of football clubs in India
- NFL Second Division
- NFL Third Division
- Santosh Trophy
References
- "Five teams submit bids for direct Hero I-League entry". www.the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 14 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- "Record five bids for I-League; no ISL reserves in 2nd and 3rd divisions". Hindustan Times. 13 June 2023. Archived from the original on 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- Chatterjee, Triyasha (1 May 2023). "I-League: AIFF League Committee inflict 3-TIER BIDDING structure for DIRECT entry into I-League 2023-24- Check Out". Inside Sport India. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- "AIFF League committee announce I-League direct entry bidders and revamped league structure for IWL". Khel Now. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- "I-League 3 2023 — Final Standings (Play-off's)". the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 31 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
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