IndianFootball.Com - Frequently Asked Questions

IndianFootball.Com - "Frequently Asked Questions"

We often get eMails from people asking us general questions about Indian football and the IndianFootball.Com website. The questions are often similar, so we have answered the most "Frequently Asked Questions" in the following.
Go through it and if you still have questions feel free to mail us.

Answers to general questions about the IndianFootball.Com website:

Is this the official site of the All India Football Federation?
No this is not the official website of the AIFF.

How can I get in touch with the AIFF?
You will need to write, FAX or phone the AIFF. Go to the "AIFF" information site of this website for all the necessary information.

Is the IndianFootball.Com site in any way involved with Indian football?
No, not directly. We are football fan and love our country India, and combined the two to make a website on the topic.

Is there an Indian Football Supporters Club I can join?
YES there is!!! Go to the IFSC site for more informations.

Where do you get all your information on Indian football?
We get our infos from contacts, online newspapers and magazines. We are helped by India-based sports journalist, who send us informations and older database stats, which is nowhere else available...

Answers to general questions:
Do Indians play football?
Yes.
In India football is being played since the 1880s, when the English brought the game to the country.

Is soccer popular in India?
Yes.
In states like Bengal, Goa and Kerala football is the most popular sport, ahead of cricket or hockey! Elsewhere in Punjab and the North-Eastern states football is also very very popular. On the streets football is played all over India!

Does India have a National League?
Yes it does. Since 1996 India has it's own National League, with the league having finished it's ninth edition. 12 Teams were part of the premier tournament in Indian football last season.

Do many people go to watch Indian football matches?
The Calcutta derby between East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan is watched by 120.000 at the Saltlake Stadium, one of the biggest stadia in Asia! Like in Calcutta, fans in Goa are also big football fans but their biggest football stadium, the Nehru Stadium in Margao has only a capacity of 35.000. Elsewhere in the country football also attracts large crowds. Especially the Calcutta clubs, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, attract crowds all over the country, as they have a national following.

Which are the top Indian teams?
India has a number of top teams spread across the country.
Since Independence Calcutta's "Maidan big-three", Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting have been successful and the three clubs have fans throughout the country.
Other top teams are Goan clubs Dempo, Salgaocar, Vasco and Churchill Brothers, Punjab-side JCT Mills and Mahindra United from Mumbai.

Does Indian TV broadcast Indian football matches?
The Indian national TV channel Doordarshan shows National League and other league matches but the quality of broadcasting football matches is poor compared to those of European league matches, which sattelite channel ESPN-Star Sports telecast in India.

No.1 sport in India and Pakistan is Cricket but does an India vs Pakistan football match arouse as much interest?
India vs Pakistan in whatever sport is always a big happening for sports fans across the border but the tensions aren't that high in football as India has won all matches in their last few meetings! The more interesting south-Asia football derby is between India vs Bangladesh because the standard is similar in the two countries and the Bengalis see the match as a derby.

Is Football equally popular among all Indians?
The biggest football enthusiasts are the Bengalis, Goans and Keralites in India! But football has also got it's following among most other groups in India. If India's football team would be as good as it's cricket or hockey teams, football would be the most popular sports in India. Actually football was until the 70s the most popular sport in India but the success of the cricket team in the 80s has changed that.