NEW DELHI: The All India Football Federation executive committee, which met online on Wednesday, unanimously decided to implement the “3 (foreigners) + 1 (Asian) recruit rule” for Hero I-League matches from 2020-21 season itself.
As for the Hero Indian Super League, organisers FSDL will work with the AIFF and present a plan to the executive committee on the way forward for foreign players in the next couple of months. The AIFF executive committee recommended this plan be made so that it can be implemented by 2021-22.
The executive committee also suggested that ISL clubs have to conform to the AFC regulations that require clubs to play a minimum of 27 matches for them to gain eligibility to play in the AFC Champions League. Especially since the league stage winners of the ISL are now awarded a direct spot in the group stages of the AFC Champions League.
The committee also stated that the this would help Indian players improve and progress in their career.
It is unlikely of course that ISL clubs will be able to play 27 matches in the 2020-21 season at least due to the uncertainty prevailing as a fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no timeframe yet on when the upcoming seasons of the ISL and I-League will kick off.
Unless the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) or the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issues a fresh directive on when to resume live sports in the country, the AIFF will be unable to fix a start date to both the tournaments.
AIFF president Praful Patel, who chaired the meeting, also urged the ISL and the I-League clubs to put up a women’s team for the Indian Women’s League.
“Women’s football in India cannot be sustainable without participation from clubs,” Patel said.
Furthermore, keeping in sync with FIFA relaxations on status of transfer of players, the committee felt that the set-up of the summer transfer window can be zeroed down when the schedules of respective international leagues are finalised.
The committee also congratulated ATK for winning the ISL, Mohun Bagan for winning the I-League, and Gokulam Kerala FC for winning the Indian Women’s League, and FC Goa for becoming the first Indian club to qualify for the AFC Champions League.
