AIFF not to hold Super Cup in the current season

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) will not be conducting the Super Cup in the ongoing season, Goal can confirm.

The Super Cup, conceptualised as a cup competition which features teams from both the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League, has been in place for two seasons now but will not take place this time around.

The competition is expected to restart once the promotion and relegation is introduced into the ISL as per the roadmap unveiled by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and AIFF earlier in October.

The Super Cup winners will also get a continental spot to play in the AFC Cup once that happens from 2024-25 season.

However, the fate of the Super Cup in the next couple of years is unknown.

This development comes just as India were handed three continental spots by the AFC, after the push by AIFF President Praful Patel and General Secretary Kushal Das. As per the new quota, the top two sides in ISL after the league stage are eligible for continental spots.

The league stage winner will get an AFC Champions League group stage spot while the runners-up will get a spot in the AFC Cup group stage.

The third spot will go to the winners of the I-League as a special dispensation for the next three seasons. After promotion and relegation into the ISL comes into play, the Super Cup winners will get the aforementioned continental spot.

The Super Cup has been won by ISL sides in the two seasons of its existance so far despite good show by I-League clubs. While Bengaluru FC won the inaugural Super Cup, the current champions are FC Goa.

The absence of Super Cup for this season could see the season length reduced for the players and probably the clubs should start thinking about playing other cup competitions like the Durand Cup or the IFA Shield.