NEW DELHI: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) will not be conducting the Hero Super Cup in the ongoing season, football website Goal reports.
The Super Cup, conceptualised as a cup competition which features teams from both the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League, has had two seasons thus far, the last one being full of acrimony and controversy as it was held at a time when I-League clubs were up in arms over what they claimed was step-motherly treatment from the AIFF and its commercial partners Football Sports Development Ltd.
The Super Cup is expected to next make a comeback only after the promotion and relegation is introduced into the ISL as per the roadmap unveiled by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and AIFF earlier in October, Goal further reports.
The Super Cup winners will also get a continental spot to play in the AFC Cup once that happens from 2024-25 season.
This development comes just as India were handed three continental spots by the AFC. As per the new quota, the top two sides in ISL after the league stage are eligible for continental spots.
The league stage winner will get an AFC Champions League group stage spot while the runners-up will get a spot in the AFC Cup group stage.
The third spot will go to the winners of the I-League as a special dispensation for the next three seasons. After promotion and relegation into the ISL comes into play, the Super Cup winners will get the aforementioned continental spot.
