NEW DELHI: All clubs participating in the forthcoming edition of the Hero I-League 2021-22 will be checking into the bio bubble from December 16. There will be relegation from this season, which means there won’t be any qualifiers for 2022-23. And the 2nd Division League will be played on a home and away basis from 2022-23 onwards, health parameters permitting.
“The Covid protocols have been intimated to the clubs and they need to conduct minimum three tests prior to checking into the bubble. There will also be regular testing on all in the bubble for the entire duration of the League,” League CEO Sunando Dhar informed at the AIFF League Committee meeting Sunday.
The committee unanimously decided that for teams to qualify for the 2nd division, all the state FAs need to finish their state leagues by May 2022, and nominate the respective champion club. The league management will thereafter work on the club licensing criteria, and decide on the format and number of groups.
12-team Hero IWL
The Hero Indian Women’s League, which is to kick-off from March 2022 in Bhubaneswar will be a 12-team affair this edition wherein every team will be playing a minimum of 11 matches. The committee recommended an extension of deadline for the state associations to finish their respective state women’s leagues and nominate the champions teams on or before February 7, 2022.
The committee also unanimously decided that with vaccination for below 18 not having started, the AIFF Youth Leagues won’t be held this season.
Furthermore, keeping in mind the relaxation of the new AFC rule for AFC Continental Championships wherein a club can register as many number of foreign players but stick to the 3+1 rule on match days, the committee referred the matter to the AIFF executive committee over implementation of the same in the I-League.
Meanwhile, the teams in Hero Indian Super League and I-League can register amateur players with an understanding that they need to change them into professional players when the transfer window re-opens on January 1, 2022.
