I-League 3

The I-League 3 is an Indian men's professional football league. It forms the fourth tier of the Indian football league system, below the I-League 2 and above the State leagues.[1][2]

History

For the first time, the AIFF introduced qualifiers for the I-League 2 in the 2022–23 season.[3] On 13 June 2023, the AIFF league committee announced introducing a new league below the I-League 2, where champions of State leagues and nominated clubs will play. State FAs have to nominate a team before July 31.[4] The AIFF wants to create a competitive pyramid with a concrete progression pathway, aimed to allow even the smallest of clubs to get promoted to the higher divisions.

Clubs

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Locations of 2025–26 I-League 3 group stage clubs

Current clubs

No. Club City State League Position
1 TRAU FC Imphal Manipur 2024–25 I-League 2 7th
2 KLASA FC Keinou Manipur 8th
3 Sesa FA Sanquelim Goa 2024–25 I-League 3 Playoffs 4th
3 Abbas Union FC Hyderabad Telangana 4th
5 Dalbir FA Patiala Punjab 5th
6 Downtown Heroes FC Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir 5th
7 Sikkim Brotherhood FC Ranipool Sikkim 2024–25 SFA A Division S-League 2nd
8 Sikkim Aakraman SC Gangtok Sikkim 3rd
9 Godavari FC East Godavari Andhra Pradesh 2025 AP Super Cup Champions
10 Clube de Salgaocar Vasco Goa 2024–25 Goa Professional League 3rd
11 Muthoot FA Kochi Kerala 2024–25 Kerala Premier League Champions
12 Garhwal Heroes New Delhi Delhi 2024–25 Delhi Premier League 2nd
13 Lakecity Bhopal Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Premier League Champions
14 Mawlai SC Mawlai Meghalaya 2024 Meghalaya State League Champions
15 Bhawanipore Bhowanipur West Bengal 2024-25 Calcutta Premier Division 3rd
16 ARA FC Ahmedabad Gujarat Gujarat SFA Club Championship Champions
17 Zinc Zawar Rajasthan 2024–25 R-League A Division Champions
18 FC Agniputhra Bengaluru Karnataka 2024–25 Bangalore Super Division Champions
19 Barak Peren Nagaland 2025 Nagaland Super League Champions
20 Young Physique's Union Imphal Manipur 2025 Manipur State League Champions
  1. ^ Participation via an invitation

All-time clubs

Currently in I-League 3
Currently in Indian Super League or I-League or I-League 2
Currently in State leagues
Defunct clubs

As of 2024

Pos. Club City S P W D L GF GA GD Pts Appearances
1 Diamond Harbour Diamond Harbour, West Bengal 2 13 11 1 1 30 8 22 34 2023–24, 2024–25
2 KLASA Bishnupur, Manipur 2 16 8 4 4 24 17 7 28 2023–24, 2024–25
3 Chanmari Aizawl, Mizoram 1 9 8 0 1 22 4 18 24 2024–25
4 Kerala United Malappuram, Kerala 2 12 5 4 3 20 14 6 19 2023–24, 2024–25
5 Sporting Goa Panaji, Goa 1 8 5 3 1 17 3 14 17 2023–24
6 Sporting Bengaluru Bengaluru, Karnataka 1 8 5 3 1 19 8 11 17 2023–24
7 Dempo Panaji, Goa 1 8 5 3 1 11 2 9 17 2023–24
8 Karbi Anglong Morning Star Diphu, Assam 1 8 5 0 3 27 11 16 15 2024–25
9 Lakecity Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 2 8 4 3 1 17 10 7 15 2023–24, 2024–25
10 SAT Tirur, Kerala 1 8 4 2 2 15 12 3 14 2024–25
11 MYJ–GMSC Mumbai, Maharashtra 1 8 4 1 3 14 8 6 13 2024–25
12 Sesa Sanquelim, Goa 1 8 3 3 2 11 11 0 12 2024–25
13 Garhwal Heroes New Delhi, Delhi 2 8 4 0 4 11 14 -3 12 2023–24, 2024–25
14 Sports Odisha Cuttack, Odisha 2 8 3 2 3 10 10 0 11 2023–24, 2024–25
15 Abbas Union Hyderabad, Telangana 2 12 3 2 7 12 18 -6 11 2023–24, 2024–25
16 Rangdajied United Shillong, Meghalaya 1 4 2 2 0 8 2 6 8 2023–24
17 Kickstart Bengaluru, Karnataka 1 4 2 1 1 15 4 11 7 2023–24
18 HAL Bengaluru, Karnataka 1 4 2 1 1 9 3 6 7 2024–25
19 Bhawanipore Kolkata, West Bengal 1 4 2 1 1 8 6 2 7 2023–24
20 Kenkre Mumbai, Maharashtra 1 4 2 1 1 8 8 0 7 2024–25
21 Downtown Heroes Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 1 8 2 1 5 13 17 -4 7 2024–25
22 Dalbir Patiala, Punjab 1 8 2 1 5 5 15 -10 7 2024–25
23 International Phagwara, Punjab 1 4 2 0 2 5 3 2 6 2023–24
24 Vatika New Delhi, Delhi 1 4 2 0 2 5 7 -2 6 2023–24


25 Charutar Vidya Mandal Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat 1 4 2 0 2 5 8 -3 6 2024–25
26 United Chirang Duar Chirang, Assam 1 4 1 2 1 5 5 0 5 2023–24
27 ARA Ahemedabad, Gujarat 1 4 1 1 2 7 4 3 4 2023–24
28 KIYC Imphal, Manipur 1 4 1 1 2 8 7 1 4 2023–24
29 Southern Sporting Imphal, Manipur 1 4 1 1 2 5 5 0 4 2024–25
30 Baroda Vadodara, Gujarat 1 4 1 0 3 3 5 -2 3 2023–24
31 Corbett Rudrapur, Uttarakhand 1 4 1 0 3 3 7 -4 3 2024–25
32 Coramandal Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 1 4 1 0 3 4 12 -8 3 2024–25
33 Doaba United Jalandhar, Punjab 1 4 1 0 3 3 11 -8 3 2023–24
34 JIT Pondicherry 1 4 1 0 3 2 11 -9 3 2023–24
35 Jaipur Elite Jaipur, Rajasthan 2 8 0 3 5 5 15 -10 3 2023–24, 2024–25
36 RKM Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh 2 8 1 0 7 6 25 -19 3 2023–24, 2024–25
37 Maharashtra Oranje Mumbai, Maharashtra 1 4 0 2 2 8 10 -2 2 2024–25
38 Ghaziabad City Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 1 4 0 1 3 3 9 -6 1 2024–25
39 Bhuna Bhuna, Haryana 1 4 0 1 3 3 20 -17 1 2024–25
40 Millat Mumbai, Maharashtra 1 4 0 0 4 1 14 -13 0 2023–24
41 New Friends Bade Bacheli, Chhattisgarh 1 4 0 0 4 2 26 -24 0 2023–24

Clubs relegated to I-League 3

Relegated clubs from I-League 2 to I-League 3
Season Clubs
2023–24 Kenkre, Maharashtra Oranje
2024–25 TRAU, KLASA

Clubs promoted from I-League 3

Promoted clubs from I-League 3 to I-League 2
Season Clubs
2023–24 Sporting Goa, Dempo, Sporting Bengaluru
2024–25 Diamond Harbour, Chanmari, SAT, KLASA
2025–26 Karbi Anglong Morning Star, MYJ–GMSC

Results

Source:[5]
Season Champions Runners-up No. of teams
2023–24 Sporting Goa Dempo 25
2024–25 Diamond Harbour Chanmari 25

See also

References

  1. ^ "Five teams submit bids for direct Hero I-League entry". www.the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 14 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Record five bids for I-League; no ISL reserves in 2nd and 3rd divisions". Hindustan Times. 13 June 2023. Archived from the original on 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  3. ^ Chatterjee, Triyasha (1 May 2023). "I-League: AIFF League Committee inflict 3-TIER BIDDING structure for DIRECT entry into I-League 2023-24- Check Out". Inside Sport India. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  4. ^ "AIFF League committee announce I-League direct entry bidders and revamped league structure for IWL". Khel Now. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  5. ^ "I-League 3 2023 — Final Standings (Play-off's)". the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 31 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.