The 2020-21 I-League is set to undergo a major overhaul, with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) set to shorten the season amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.
Instead of the usual format where a team plays every other team twice, this time around the tournament will be divided into two stages.
A total of 80 matches will be played during the upcoming I-League season, with 11 teams set to play each other just once in the first phase.
After the first phase, the top five teams will be grouped together where they will play for the championship while the bottom six teams will be grouped in a battle to stave off relegation. In the second stage, the teams will once again face all teams in their group once.
It must be noted that several leagues across the globe have adopted this format including the Chinese Super League (CSL)
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is also planning to start the new season of the I-League from December 26, 2020. The league will be held entirely in West Bengal due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
As of now, 10 I-League teams have been confirmed. Mohun Bagan was the first team to leave the I-League this season for the Indian Super League (ISL) after their merger with ATK. Sudeva FC from New Delhi directly entered the league after the AIFF opened up a bidding process for a new team.
East Bengal too have entered the ISL, after they roped in new investors in Shree Cement Limited. The Red and Golds entry into the top tier league of the country was confirmed last week by the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL).
The Second Division I-League is all set to get underway in West Bengal from October 8 and the winner of the qualifiers will be the 11th team in the I-League this season.
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