Delhi Football League
| Organising bodies | Delhi Soccer Association |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1948 |
| Country | India |
| Leagues | Delhi Premier League Senior Division League A-Division League B-Division League C-Division League |
| Divisions | 5 |
| Number of clubs | 80+ (overall) |
| Level on pyramid | 5–9 |
| Promotion to | Various |
| Relegation to | Various |
| Website | www |
The Delhi Football League is a ladder-based football competition in the Indian union territory of Delhi, organised by Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) as part of the state leagues. Delhi Premier League is the top division, started in 1948 as DSA Senior Division.
History
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
| 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) |
DSA Senior Division League ↑promote ↓relegate |
| 3 (7 on Indian football Football pyramid) |
DSA A-Division League ↑promote↓relegate |
| 4 (8 on Indian football Football pyramid) |
DSA B-Division League ↑promote↓relegate |
| 5 (9 on Indian football pyramid) |
DSA C-Division League ↑promote |
Delhi Premier League
| Organising bodies | Delhi Soccer Association |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 |
| Country | India |
| Number of clubs | 11 |
| Level on pyramid | 5 |
| Promotion to | I-League 3 |
| Relegation to | FD Senior Division League |
| Current champions | Garhwal Heroes FC (1st title) |
| Current: 2025–26 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 Delhi Soccer Association,[4] official governing body of Delhi region under AIFF. Most players from this league are selected to represent Delhi for Santosh Trophy.
Clubs
Eleven clubs competed in the first edition.[5][6]
| Clubs | Venues |
|---|---|
| Delhi FC | |
| Hindustan FC | |
| Royal Rangers FC | |
| Friends United FC | |
| Garhwal Heroes FC | |
| Tarun Sangha FC | |
| Rangers SC | |
| Sudeva Delhi FC | |
| Uttarakhand FC | |
| Amity Indian National FC | |
| Indian Air Force | |
| Vatika FC |
Champions
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Vatika | Delhi | |
| 2023–24 | Garhwal Heroes | Royal Rangers | |
| 2024–25 | CISF Protectors | Garhwal Heroes |
Delhi Senior Division League
| Organising bodies | Delhi Soccer Association |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Number of clubs | 14 |
| Level on pyramid | 6 |
| Promotion to | Delhi Premier League |
| Relegation to | DSA A-Division League |
| Current champions | Noida City FC |
| Current: 2025 DSA Senior Division | |
Delhi Senior Division League is the second tier of Delhi Football League system.
| Clubs | Venues |
|---|---|
| Ahbab FC | |
| M2M FC | |
| Rangers SC | |
| United Bharat FC | |
| Warriors FC | |
| Young Boys FC | |
| Jaguar FC | |
| Ajmal FC | |
| Garhwal United FC | |
| Juba Sangha FC | |
| Indian Air Force | |
| Frontier FC | |
| The Dream Team |
Champions
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Noida City FC | - | |
| 2025-26 | Juba Sangha FC | Indian Air Force |
Delhi A-Division League
| Organising bodies | Delhi Soccer Association |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Level on pyramid | 7 |
| Promotion to | DSA Senior Division League |
| Relegation to | DSA B-Division League |
Delhi A-Division League is the third tier of Delhi Football League system.
Delhi B-Division League
| Organising bodies | Delhi Soccer Association |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Level on pyramid | 8 |
| Promotion to | DSA A-Division League |
| Relegation to | DSA C-Division League |
Delhi B-Division League is the fourth tier of Delhi Football League system.
Delhi C-Division League
| Organising bodies | Delhi Soccer Association |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Number of clubs | 11 |
| Level on pyramid | 9 |
| Promotion to | DSA B-Division League |
Delhi C-Division League is the fifth tier of Delhi Football League system.
Champions of the top-most division
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.[7][8]
| Year | Winner | Runners-up | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Youngmen SC | Data not available | |
| 1949 | Raisina Sporting | ||
| 1950 | Simla Youngs | ||
| 1951 | Youngmen SC | ||
| 1952 | Simla Youngs | ||
| 1953 | New Delhi Heroes | ||
| 1954 | New Delhi Heroes | ||
| 1955 | New Delhi Heroes | ||
| 1956 | New Delhi Heroes | ||
| 1957 | Youngmen SC | ||
| 1958 | New Delhi Heroes | ||
| 1959 | New Delhi Heroes | ||
| 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 | ||
| 1973 | Simla Youngs | ||
| 1975 | Indian Air Force | ||
| 1976 | Simla Youngs | ||
| 1985 | Moonlight FC | Simla Youngs | |
| 1986 | Garhwal Heroes | Youngsters FC | |
| 1987 | None | Unfinished | |
| 1988 | Shastri FC and Moonlight FC | Joint winners | |
| 1989 | Shastri FC and Moonlight FC | Joint winners | |
| 1990 | Moonlight FC | ||
| 1991 | Students Club | Simla Youngs | |
| 1992 | Shastri FC | Special Area Games | |
| 1993 | South India FC | Simla Youngs | |
| 1994 | Shastri FC | Indian National FC | |
| 1995 | Mughals SC | Shastri FC | |
| 1996 | Shastri FC | Hindustan | |
| 1997 | City Club | Indian Air Force | |
| 1998 | Indian Air Force | Hindustan | |
| 1999 | Indian National FC | Shastri FC | |
| 2000 | Indian National FC | Hindustan | |
| 2001–02 | Hindustan | Indian National FC | |
| 2002 | Indian Air Force | Hindustan | |
| 2003 | Indian Air Force | Tarun Sangha FC | |
| 2004 | Indian Air Force | Indian Air Force | |
| 2005 | Simla Youngs | Hindustan | |
| 2006–07 | Indian Air Force | Indian National FC | |
| 2007–08 | New Delhi Heroes | Indian National FC | |
| 2008–09 | Indian National FC | Hindustan | |
| 2009 | Hindustan and Indian National FC | Joint winners | |
| 2011–12 | Delhi United | Shahadra FC | |
| 2013 | Garhwal Heroes | Goodwill FC | |
| 2013–14 | Indian National FC | Garhwal Heroes | |
| 2018 | Indian Air Force | ||
| 2019 | Garhwal Heroes | Indian Air Force | |
| 2020 | Not held | due to COVID-19 pandemic | |
| 2021 | Indian Air Force | Delhi | |
| 2021–22 | Delhi | Hindustan | |
| 2022–23 | Vatika FC | Delhi | [9] |
| 2023–24 | Garhwal Heroes | Royal Rangers FC | |
| 2024–25 | CISF Protectors | Garhwal Heroes | |
See also
References
- ^ Kapadia, Novy (17 November 2012). "Delhi Football - A trip down memory lane". www.sportskeeda.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
- ^ "Senior Division | Football Delhi". Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "First-Ever Delhi Premier League to Kick Off on July 15". News18. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ "First Delhi Premier League to Kick off on July 15, 2022". LatestLY. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ Chaudhuri, Arunava (2003). "India – List of Delhi League Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ @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.
External links
- Delhi Football League on Twitter (Football Delhi official)