Subrata Dutta reveals the league merger plan: ISL to devour everything that's good about I-League

THE MERGER PLAN weaved around Indian football was presented to the fans with a little more clarity last night when AIFF Vice President Subrata Dutta spoke to a Bengali news channel 24 Ghanta about how ISL and I-League will be unified.

But more than a unification, it seems ISL will simply acquire the best aspects of I-League. 3 of the most popular clubs in I-League, namely East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC, will join ISL starting the 2017-18 season to turn it into an 11-team league that runs more than 5 months. At this point ISL, and all its clubs, will gain recognition and required licenses from AFC to be the official top division football league in India, recognised by FIFA.

As a result, the number of foreigners every team is allowed to sign will go down to 4, as per the AFC norms. The champion of ISL will get to represent India in the AFC Champions League Qualifiers / AFC Cup group stage. There will be no relegation in this new league. IMG-Reliance will run the league as usual, and AIFF will handle its disciplinary side.

The other I-League clubs can also eventually join this new ISL, if they can invest Rs 35-40 crore per year. Otherwise, they can stay and play in a new league constituted for them, which will be run by the AIFF in the old way. It will have two divisions, and there will be promotions and relegations between them. 

So it appears that the national league structure will have 3 tiers, with ISL at the top. And while the two lower tiers will have promotion and relegation of clubs, top tier clubs will not be relegated and to gain a promotion into ISL the applicant club will have to prove its monetary ability.

While the whole arrangement is still under negotiation, the proposed new league system is obviously geared towards protecting the interests of the ISL, and it's unclear what price the less lucky "lower tier" clubs will ultimately have to pay for this disenfranchising initiative.