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| Founded | 1996; 29 years ago (1996) |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2007; 18 years ago (2007) (reformed as theI-League)[1] |
| Country | India |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of clubs | 12 (from1996–97 to2003–04) 10 (from2004–05 to2006–07) |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | National Football League Second Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | Federation Cup Indian Super Cup |
| International cup(s) | AFC Champions League AFC Cup |
| Last champions | Dempo (2nd title) (2006–07) |
| Most championships | Mohun Bagan East Bengal (3 titles each) |
TheNational Football League (NFL) was the men's highest level of theIndian football league system from 1996 to 2007.[2] Founded by theAll India Football Federation (AIFF) in 1996, the NFL was the first football league in India to be organized on a national scale. The AIFF then added a second division in 1997 and a third division was soon added by the governing body in 2006. The NFL was eventually replaced by theI-League for the2007–08 season in order to professionalize the sport in India.
As well as league competition, clubs in the NFL would also participate in the main domestic cup competition, theFederation Cup. The NFL champions would also participate in theIndian Super Cup against the Federation Cup champion. NFL players could also participate in the state-basedSantosh Trophy competition.
The National Football League was founded by the All India Football Federation, the governing body forfootball in India, in 1996.[3] The aim of the league was to promote the development of the sport in the country.JCT Mills ofPunjab won theinaugural season of the league. ThenIndian internationalBhaichung Bhutia was the league's top goalscorer with 14 goals.[4] To supplement the Premier Division, the AIFF began thesecond division of the NFL in 1997.[5]Tollygunge Agragami ofKolkata were the inaugural second division champions.[5]
In 2001, in order to help promote the development of young Indian players, the AIFF launched the under-19 league.[6] The inaugural season of the under-19 league would seeEast Bengal crowned champions.[6] Only three seasons of theunder-19 league were held in 2001, 2002–03, and 2004–05.[6] The AIFF also fielded theIndia under-16 side in the league when held.[6]
Prior to the2006–07 season, the AIFF launched athird division, which was essentially just the qualifiers for the second division.[7] After the season concluded, the AIFF announced that the NFL would be disbanded and replaced with a new fully-professional league, the I-League for the 2007–08 season.[8]Dempo finished as the final NFL champions.[3]
| Period | Sponsor | Industry | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–1998 |  Philips | Conglomerate | Philips National Football League |
| 1998–2001 |  The Coca-Cola Company | Beverage | Coca-Cola National Football League |
| 2001–2002 |  Tata Group | Conglomerate | Tata National Football League |
| 2002–2003 | ONGC, BPCL,HPCL,IOC,GAIL, IBP,Cochin Refineries Ltd. and Chennai Refineries Ltd. | Public sector enterprises | OilPSU National Football League |
| 2003–2004 | The Coca-Cola Company | Beverage | Coca-Cola National Football League |
| 2004–2007 | ONGC | Petroleum | ONGC National Football League (2004–2005) ONGC Cup |
Played in NFL Premier Division
| Season | Champions (number of titles)[9] | Runners-up | Third place | Leading goalscorer(s) | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | JCT Mills | Churchill Brothers | East Bengal | Bhaichung Bhutia (JCT Mills) | 14 |
| 1997–98 | Mohun Bagan | East Bengal | Salgaocar | Raman Vijayan (Kochin) | 10 |
| 1998–99 | Salgaocar | East Bengal | Churchill Brothers |  Philip Mensah (Churchill Brothers) | 11 |
| 1999–00 | Mohun Bagan (2) | Churchill Brothers | Salgaocar |  Igor Shkvyrin (Mohun Bagan) | 11 |
| 2000–01 | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan | Churchill Brothers |  José Ramirez Barreto (Mohun Bagan) | 14 |
| 2001–02 | Mohun Bagan (3) | Churchill Brothers | Vasco | Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers) | 18 |
| 2002–03 | East Bengal (2) | Salgaocar | Vasco | Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers) | 21 |
| 2003–04 | East Bengal (3) | Dempo | Mahindra United | Cristiano Júnior (East Bengal) | 15 |
| 2004–05 | Dempo | Sporting Goa | East Bengal |  Dudu Omagbemi (Sporting Goa) | 21 |
| 2005–06 | Mahindra United | East Bengal | Mohun Bagan | Ranti Martins (Dempo) | 13 |
| 2006–07 | Dempo (2) | JCT Mills | Mahindra United | Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers) | 18 |
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| I-League |
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