The All India Football Federation (AIFF) have announced that Goan giants and two-time national league champions, Salgaocar will not feature in I-League 2017, with the club "failing to participate in the licensing process" for the upcoming season cited as the reason.
The I-League CEO Sunando Dhar, said, "Salgaocar haven't participated in the licensing process for this season," in an ESPN report. Another Goan club, Sporting Clube de Goa though, have met the licensing requirements and have been made a part of the I-League draft.
Salgaocar and Sporting Club had threatened to pull out of the league altogether after the AIFF announced that it would elevate the cash rich Indian Super League to the topmost echelon of the restructured three-tier Indian football ladder from 2017-18.
The report also stated that the board has invited bidders to "own and operate" new teams from the upcoming season as they look to expand the number of teams in the division, "The I-League will have a minimum of nine teams, but it could go up to 10 or 11. Whether with the I-League or the restructured format of Indian football, we are absolutely clear that we will need more teams," said Dhar.
