Youth League (India)

Youth football league system in India

Football league

Youth League

Founded| 2008; 17 years ago (2008)
Country| India
Divisions| AIFF Youth League
Junior League
Sub-Junior League
Number of clubs| 71 (AIFF Youth League)
47 (Junior League)
49 (Sub-Junior League)
Level on pyramid| 1
Current champions| Youth: Classic FA
Junior: Minerva Punjab
Sub-Junior: RF Young Champs
Most championships| Youth:AIFF Elite Academy (3 titles)
Junior: Minerva Punjab (4 titles)
Sub-Junior:
Minerva Academy FC
Minerva Punjab
RF Young Champs
(1 title each)
Website| www.the-aiff.com
Current: 2024–25

The Youth League is a system of youth football leagues that are managed, organised and controlled by the All India Football Federation. It consists of 3 age groups competitions: U17 (AIFF Youth League), U15 (Junior League) and U13 (Sub-Junior League).

## History

[edit]

The league was founded as the I-League U19 in 2008, which was to give youth teams of the I-League a national league to play in. 16 teams were split into four groups of four. At the end of the season, the top team from the group stage would move onto the final stage with the other group winners, and play each other once. The inaugural winners were Tata Football Academy.[1]

The competition name was changed in 2012 to the I-League U-20,[2] because many U-20 players in the I-League were not getting any time in the senior teams.

The U20 name only lasted for two seasons, before the All India Football Federation decided to switch the tournament format back to an under-19 format from 2014.[3] From 2014, the tournament was divided into five zones, namely Kolkata, Mumbai, Shillong, Goa and Rest of India.

The competition once again changed format in 2015–16, played as U18 tournament. From 2017–18 season, the league was renamed as Youth League U18 and subsequently as Elite League from 2018–19.

## Structure

[edit]

For younger categories, in most cases teams play each other in their respective zonal groups twice – home and away. At the end of the group stage, the top two teams go through to the final phase.

Those teams are divided into three groups and the group champions, along with the best second placed teams, qualify for the knockout stages.

For Youth League, the latest tournament took place across ten venues, with single round-robin format in the group and knockout stage. The 49 teams from 29 states and union territories were divided in ten groups.

## Winners

[edit]

Season  | I-League U19  | \-

|
|

2008 | Tata Football Academy
2010 | sporting Goa
2011 | JCT
Season  | I-League U20
2012 | Pune F.C. Academy
2013 | Pune F.C. Academy
Season  | I-League U19
2014 | Tata Football Academy
2014–15 | AIFF Elite Academy
Season  | I-League U18  | I-League U15  | \-
2015–16 | AIFF Elite Academy | Minerva Punjab
2016–17 | AIFF Elite Academy | Minerva Punjab
Season  | Youth League U18/Elite League U18  | U-15 Junior League  | U-13 Sub-Junior League
2017–18 | Shillong Lajong | Minerva Punjab | Minerva Punjab
2018–19 | Minerva Punjab | Minerva Punjab[4] | RF Young Champs
2019–20 | called off due to COVID-19 pandemic
Season  | U17 Youth Cup  | \-
2022–23 | Classic Football Academy[5]
Season  | U-17 Youth League  | U-15 Junior League  | U-13 Sub-Junior League
2023–24 | Classic Football Academy  | RF Young Champs | Minerva Academy
2024–25 | Punjab FC[6] | Punjab FC[7] | Minerva Academy[8]

### Performance by Clubs

[edit]

Team  | Titles

|

Total  | U20
titles  | U19
titles  | U18
titles  | U17
titles  | U15
titles  | U13
titles
Minerva Academy | 8 | 0  | 0  | 1  | 0  | 4  | 3
AIFF Elite Academy | 3 | 0  | 1  | 2  | 0  | 0  | 0
Pune FC Academy | 2 | 2  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0
Tata Football Academy | 2 | 0  | 2  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0
Classic FA  | 2 | 0  | 0  | 0  | 2  | 0  | 0
RF Young Champs | 2 | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 1  | 1
Punjab FC | 2 | 0  | 0  | 0  | 1  | 1  | 0
JCT | 1 | 0  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0
Sporting Goa | 1 | 0  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0
Shillong Lajong | 1 | 0  | 0  | 1  | 0  | 0  | 0

## Under-17 level

[edit]

Football league

AIFF Youth LeagueNumber of clubs| 71

|

Current champions| Punjab FC
(1st title)
Most championships| AIFF Elite Academy
(3 titles)
Broadcaster(s)| AIFF (YouTube)
Website| Official website
Current: 2024–25

The Youth League or the Hero U-17 Youth Cup was previously known as I-League U18, I-League U19 and I-League U20.[9] is the top level of youth football in India. It is contested between the under-17 sides of The I-League teams, Indian Super League teams, as well as other youth teams. The most successful team currently is AIFF Elite Academy, who won three titles. Minerva Punjab are the last known champions.

On 7 December 2018 AIFF decided to change its name to Hero Elite League.[10][11]

Dream Sports Championship is another competition for U17 players organized by Dream Sports India.

## Under-15 level (9-a-side)

[edit]

Junior League or AIFF Junior League is the under-15 level of youth football in India.

Football league

Junior LeagueNumber of clubs| 64

|

Current champions| Punjab FC(1st title)
Most championships| Minerva Academy FC
(4 titles)
Website| Official website
Current: 2024-25

## Under-13 level (9-a-side)

[edit]

Sub-Junior League or Hero Sub-Junior League is the under-13 level of youth football in India.

Football league

Sub-Junior LeagueNumber of clubs| 64

|

Current champions| Minerva Academy FC(3rd title)
Most championships| Minerva Academy FC
(3 titles)
Website| Official website
Current: 2024-25

## See also

[edit]

* Junior National Football Championship
* Football in India
* Indian football league system
* History of Indian football
* Reliance Foundation Development League
* Indian Arrows
* Subroto Cup
* Seven-a-side football

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "I-League U19 2008". Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
2. ^ :::: The Aiff :::: Archived 2012-04-11 at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ "AIFF's Emergency Committee meets in New Delhi". The All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
4. ^ Shetty, Chittu (29 May 2019). "Hero Junior League final: Minerva Punjab pip Bengaluru FC to lift title for the 4th consecutive year". Football Counter. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
5. ^ "Classic Football Academy wins Hero U-17 Youth Cup title". thebridge.in. The Bridge. All India Football Federation. 31 January 2023. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
6. ^ "Punjab FC crowned the kings of AIFF U-17 Elite Youth League". I-League. Archived from the original on 26 May 2025. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
7. ^ "Punjab FC secure AIFF U-15 Junior League title". ANI News. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
8. ^ "Minerva Academy FC crowned AIFF Sub Junior League champions 2024-25". I-League. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
9. ^ "AIFF Moots U-15 & U-18 I-League For Clubs & Academies". I-League.org. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
10. ^ "2nd Division League Teams selected to begin on January". Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
11. ^ "Tentative decisions for 2nd Division League, Hero Super Cup announced". Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Hero Elite League

* v
* t
* e

Youth League

Seasons|

* NFL U19 (2001–2005)
* 2008
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2022–23
* 2023–24

Youth teams|

* AIFF Elite Academy
* Bengaluru FC Academy
* Chennaiyin FC Reserves and Academy
* East Bengal FC Academy
* FC Pune City Academy
* Northeast United FC Reserves and Academy
* Odisha FC Reserves
* SESA Football Academy
* Tata Football Academy

* v
* t
* e

Indian football league seasons

First tier league seasons (1996–present)

National Football League|

* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07

I-League|

* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22

Indian Super League|

* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25
* 2025–26

* List of champions

Second tier league seasons (1997–present)

NFL 2nd Division|

* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07

I-League 2nd Division|

* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2020
* 2021

I-League|

* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25
* 2025–26

Third tier league seasons (2006–07, 2022–present)

NFL 3rd Division|

* 2006–07

I-League 2|

* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25
* 2025–26

Fourth tier league seasons (2023–present)

I-League 3|

* 2023–24
* 2024–25
* 2025–26

Youth league seasons (2008–present)

Youth League|

* 2008
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25

* v
* t
* e

Football in India

* All India Football Federation
* State Football Associations

National teams|

| Men|

* India
* U-23
* U-20
* U-17

|

Women|

* India
* U-20
* U-17

Others|

* Beach soccer
* Futsal
* Men
* Women

League system|

| Men|

* Indian Super League
* I-League
* I-League 2
* I-League 3
* Futsal Club Championship

|

Women|

* Indian Women's League
* Indian Women's League 2

State|

* State Leagues
* Men
* Women

Youth|

* Youth League
* Reliance Foundation Development League

Cup competitions|

| International|

* Intercontinental Cup
* Tri-Nation Series
* Gold Cup

|

Club|

* Super Cup
* Durand Cup
* others

State (Senior)|

* Santosh Trophy
* Women's Championship
* National Games
* Beach Soccer Championship

State (Youth)|

* B.C. Roy Trophy
* Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy
* Junior Girl's NFC
* Sub–Junior Girl's NFC
* Subroto Cup
* JSW Youth Cup

Defunct competitions|

| Leagues|

* National Football League
* National Football League 2nd Division
* National Football League 3rd Division
* National Football League U19

|

Cups|

* Federation Cup
* Nehru Cup
* Indian Super Cup
* others

Sports complexes|

* AIFF National Center of Excellence

* History
* Champions
* Men
* Women
* Clubs
* Stadiums
* Asian competition
* Women's football
* Awards
* AIFF
* FPAI

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