The Competitions Committee of the Asian Football Confederation today approved the awarding of an AFC Cup slot to the Indian Super League, which completed its draft on Sunday.
A release from the AFC read as follows, “Following a recommendation from the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the Competitions Committee gave special dispensation for the Indian Super League (ISL) which will be played simultaneously with the I-League for six or seven months in 2017 and 2018 as a temporary short-term ‘bridging solution’.
Therefore, the Committee approved that the I-League champions will play in the AFC Champions League Play-off round and the ISL Champions will play in the AFC Cup preliminary stage – as long as all clubs adhere to the AFC rules and regulations, particularly club licensing, from 2018.”
The AFC Cup slot awarded to the ISL will replace the preliminary stage spot given to the winners of the Federation Cup. Bengaluru FC, who will join the ISL this season, have qualified for the 2018 AFC Cup by virtue of being the 2017 Federation Cup champions while Aizawl FC, the I-League champions will play in the 2017-’18 AFC Champions League qualifying rounds.
The situation will be reviewed on a yearly basis with conditions which, in addition to adherence to club licensing regulations, include promotion, production, a player allocation system and the following of the road map agreed between the AFC and Indian football stakeholders at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur on June 7.