MUMBAI: The next step in the evolution of the Indian Super League away from the “Indian Premier League template” that has been the default setting of pretty much all the non-cricket leagues in this country after the advent of the IPL will reportedly be activated in season 6 of the ISL.
The winner-takes-all rule of the ISL could change in season 6, which is likely to start soon after India’s 2022 World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh at home on October 15. It has been proposed that the team which tops the home-and-away league phase will represent India in the 2021 AFC Champions League qualifiers, Hindustan Times reports.
The change has reportedly been proposed to remove a potential hurdle to ISL being accepted by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) as India’s top league. The AIFF, after its executive committee meeting in New Delhi on July 9, said it would recommend that ISL be made India’s top league.
Unless they are also first in the league standings of the 10-team competition, ISL 6 winners will only get the Rs 80 million prize purse. The league has communicated this to the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The rules will be amended once AIFF gives its okay, HT reports.
Since ISL follows a league-cum-knockout format, the amendment has been proposed to give teams an incentive to top the league.
In 2017-18, Bengaluru FC topped the league standings by eight points but lost the final 2-3 to Chennaiyin FC. That gave Chennaiyin FC the right to represent India in Asia in 2019.
Over the past five seasons, the only advantage the league toppers got was playing the second-leg of the semi-final at home.
