I-League 2024-25: Know start date, telecast and watch live streaming in India

The I-League 2024-25 will start on Friday, November 22 as Sreenidi Deccan FC will host Gokulam Kerala FC at the Deccan Arena in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the I-League is the men's second-tier of the Indian football league pyramid.

The 18th edition of the I-League will see as many as 12 clubs play a total of 132 matches in a home-and-away double round-robin format. Each team will play 22 matches each.

Aizawl FC, Churchill Brothers FC Goa, Delhi FC, Dempo SC, Gokulam Kerala FC, Inter Kashi, Namdhari FC, Neroca FC, Rajasthan United FC, Real Kashmir FC, Shillong Lajong FC, Sporting Bengaluru and Sreenidi Deccan FC are the 12 clubs that will compete in I-League 2024-25 that will run till April 6, 2025.

Sporting Bengaluru and Dempo SC are the two teams that have secured promotion from the I-League 2023-24 second division.

Under head coach Chinta Chandrashekar Rao, Sporting Bengaluru won the I-League 2 after finishing on top of the 2023-24 standings with 33 points from 14 games, six points clear of second-placed Dempo SC.

The most successful team in I-League history, Dempo SC, will make a much-awaited return to the second division after eight seasons.

Before the 2016-17 season, Dempo withdrew from the I-League in protest of the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) proposed roadmap to promote the ISL as the top-tier league.

Since the inception of I-League in 2007, Dempo SC earlier won the competition on three occasions in 2007-08, 2009-10 and 2011-12.

As per the I-League 2024-25 format, the team finishing at the top of the standings after all 132 matches will emerge as I-League 2024-25 champions. They will be eligible for promotion to the Indian Super League 2025-26 provided they fulfil the Club Licensing criteria.

Defending champions Mohammedan SC have already been promoted to the ISL while NEROCA Football Club and TRAU Football Club have been relegated to I-League 2 after finishing at the bottom of the I-League 2023-24 standings.

Meanwhile, the AIFF had earlier decided to field the Indian U-20 national football team to give them ample opportunity to prepare themselves for the 2027 Asian Cup and 2026 Asian Games participation. While India U-20 national team would have got amnesty from promotion-relegation, the plan was later scrapped.