Kolkata: The wait is over for all of the Indian football fraternity. AIFF has finally decided to merge ISL and I-league from 2017. If this at all happens then this is the last and final year of the I-league which commenced from 2007 is its 10th season this ongoing season.
As informed by AIFF vice-president, Subrata Dutta, ISL is going to be a 11 team tournament from 2017 which includes the 8 franchises, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC. Other teams which are currently playing in the I-league like Salgaocar, Sporting clube de Goa, Mumbai FC and others will play in a different league which is to be named later. This league will have relegation but ISL will not have any such relegation or promotion and ISL will now be under FIFA accereditation and AFC criteria. But as there are 6 foreigners allowed in a playing xi in ISL now, then only 4 foreigners will be allowed to field. The winner of ISL and runner up will play in the AFC cup but if the Federation Cup stays on then the winners of ISL and Fed cup will play in the AFC tournaments. Clubs like Scg, Salgaocar, Mumbai FC can participate in the ISL if they are ready to invest 30-40 crores. It is also learnt that national senior team selection will also be on the basis of performance in the ISL.
Last Monday, AIFF Secretary Mr. Kushal Das had a discussion on this issue with East Bengal officials an earlier he had a discussion with the Mohun Bagan officials on the same and by their talks it seems the local giants have agreed with the AIFF on the same. If everythit goes right, the merging is just a matter of time.