The Delhi Football League is a ladder-based football competition in the Indian union territory of Delhi, organised by Football Delhi (FD) as part of the state leagues. Delhi Premier League is the top-division, started in 1948 as DSA Senior Division.

Delhi Football League
Organising bodiesFootball Delhi
Founded1948; 76 years ago (1948)
CountryIndia
LeaguesDelhi Premier League
FD Senior Division League
A-Division League
B-Division League
C-Division League
Divisions5
Number of teams80+ (overall)
Level on pyramid5–9
Promotion toVarious
Relegation toVarious
Websitewww.footballdelhi.com

History

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The first parent body of Delhi football was formed in 1926, with professor Mohammed Zubair Qureishi as secretary. There was no proper local league but the clubs used to participate in private tournaments organised by sport enthusiasts. Due to the violence and upheaval caused by the Partition of India, the Delhi League was suspended after 1946. It resumed in 1948 and the oldest club in the capital Young Men has won it that year. From 1948 onwards, the Delhi League took a particular shape. It had three divisions. The top 10 teams played in the A division, on a double-leg basis, with all matches being held at the Ambedkar Stadium, earlier known as the Delhi Gate Stadium. The B and C division matches took place at either the nearby Crescent Ground or the President's Estate Ground. Except for transport allowance, kit and refreshment, there was no payment to the players. However, club officials would strive to get their top players jobs in leading public sector concerns like Delhi Audit, Northern Railway, State Bank of India, Central Secretariat Service, Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking (DESU), Food Corporation of India (FCI) and so on. A competitive institutional league was also held annually.[1]

Structure

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Delhi Football League
Tier Division
1
(5 on Indian football pyramid)
Delhi Premier League
↑promote (to I-League 3) ↓relegate
2
(6 on Indian football pyramid)
FD Senior Division League
↑promote ↓relegate
3
(7 on Indian football Football pyramid)
FD A-Division
↑promote↓relegate
4
(8 on Indian football Football pyramid)
FD B-Division
↑promote↓relegate
5
(9 on Indian football pyramid)
FD C-Division
↑promote

Delhi Premier League

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Delhi Premier League
Organising bodiesFootball Delhi
CountryIndia
Number of teams11
Level on pyramid5
Promotion toI-League 3
Relegation toFD Senior Division League
Current championsGarhwal Heroes FC (1st title)
Current: 2023–24 Delhi Premier League

Delhi Premier League, previously known as Football Delhi Senior Division League (FD Senior Division)[2] and DSA Senior Division, is the top state-level football league in Delhi and level 5 of Indian football league system.[3] It is also the highest level inter-city league played in the capital. Competition is conducted by Football Delhi,[4] official governing body of Delhi region under AIFF. Most players from this league are selected to represent Delhi for Santosh Trophy.[citation needed]

Season Champions Ref.
2022-2023 Vatika FC|
2023-2024 Garhwal Heroes FC

FD Senior Division League

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FD Senior Division League
Organising bodiesFootball Delhi
CountryIndia
Number of teams11
Level on pyramid6
Promotion toDelhi Premier League
Relegation toFD Senior Division League
Current championsDelhi FC (1st title)
Current: 2021–22 FD Senior Division

Football Delhi Senior Division League is the second tier of Delhi Football League system.

FD A-Division

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FD A-Division
Organising bodiesFootball Delhi
CountryIndia
Level on pyramid7
Promotion toFD Senior Division League
Relegation toFD B-Division

Football Delhi A-Division is the third tier of Delhi Football League system.


FD B-Division

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FD B-Division
Organising bodiesFootball Delhi
CountryIndia
Level on pyramid8
Promotion toFD A-Division
Relegation toFD C-Division

Football Delhi B-Division is the fourth tier of Delhi Football League system.

FD C-Division

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FD C-Division
Organising bodiesFootball Delhi
CountryIndia
Number of teams11
Level on pyramid9
Promotion toFD B-Division

Football Delhi C-Division is the fifth tier of Delhi Football League system.


Champions of the top-most division

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The Delhi League was started in 1948, but has not been finished on some occasions. From 1985, a new format, Super League (two groups followed by knock-out semifinals and final), was adopted.[5][6]

Year Winner Runners-up Note
1948 Youngmen SC Data not available
1949 Raisina Sporting
1950 Simla Youngs FC
1951 Youngmen SC
1952 Simla Youngs FC
1953 New Delhi Heroes FC
1954 New Delhi Heroes FC
1955 New Delhi Heroes FC
1956 New Delhi Heroes FC
1957 Youngmen SC
1958 New Delhi Heroes FC
1959 New Delhi Heroes FC
1960 City Club
1961 Raisina Sporting
1962 Raisina Sporting
1963 City Club
1964 City Club
1965 Youngmen SC
1966 President's Estate
1967 President's Estate
1969 Youngmen SC
1971 Indian Air Force
1972 Simla Youngs FC
1973 Simla Youngs FC
1975 Indian Air Force
1976 Simla Youngs FC
1985 Moonlight FC Simla Youngs FC
1986 Garhwal Heroes Youngsters FC
1987 None Unfinished
1988 Shastri FC
Moonlight FC
Joint winners
1989 Shastri FC
Moonlight FC
Joint winners
1990 Moonlight FC
1991 Students Club Simla Youngs FC
1992 Shastri FC Special Area Games
1993 South India FC Simla Youngs FC
1994 Shastri FC Indian National FC
1995 Mughals SC Shastri FC
1996 Shastri FC Hindustan FC
1997 City Club Indian Air Force
1998 Indian Air Force Hindustan FC
1999 Indian National FC Shastri FC
2000 Indian National FC Hindustan FC
2001–02 Hindustan FC Indian National FC
2002 Indian Air Force Hindustan FC
2003 Indian Air Force Tarun Sangha FC
2004 Indian Air Force, Palam Indian Air Force
2005 Simla Youngs FC Hindustan FC
2006–07 Indian Air Force Indian National FC
2007–08 New Delhi Heroes FC Indian National FC
2008–09 Indian National FC Hindustan FC
2009 Hindustan FC
Indian National FC
Joint winners
2011–12 Delhi United FC Shahadra FC
2013 Garhwal Heroes FC Goodwill FC
2013–14 Indian National FC Garhwal Heroes FC
2018 Indian Air Force
2019 Garhwal FC Indian Air Force
2020 Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Indian Air Force Delhi FC
2021–22 Delhi FC Hindustan FC
2022–23 Vatika FC Delhi FC [7]
2023–24 Garhwal Heroes FC Royal Rangers FC

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kapadia, Novy. "Delhi Football - A trip down memory lane". www.sportskeeda.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Senior Division | Football Delhi". Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  3. ^ Choudhuri, Arunava. "Delhi Senior Division to kick-off July 30". arunfoot.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  4. ^ "The history and the current status of football in Delhi". chaseyoursport.com. 29 April 2019. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  5. ^ Chaudhuri, Arunava (2003). "India – List of Delhi League Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  6. ^ Chaudhuri, Arunava (2000). "List of Champions of the Delhi Football League (DSA Senior Division)". indianfootball.de. Indian Football Network. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  7. ^ @FootballDelhi (26 September 2022). "𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒🏆 | VATIKA FC ARE THE CHAMPIONS DELHI!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022 – via Twitter.
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