As the Indian Super League (ISL) enters its tenth season in 2023–24, the league is entering an exciting new era. For football fans in India, the start of its second season as the sole top division would be historic. For the record, top-tier Indian football has now been in play for 28 seasons. Are we about to see a major event after all that has transpired over the previous nine seasons?
The new Indian Super League season’s changes
We already have a few adjustments this season to look forward to. The number of participating teams has been expanded to 12. Moreover this will be the first season of ISL where the promoted I-League winner participates. Punjab FC, who were promoted to the ISL 2023-24 season by winning the 2022–23 I-League, would be the first team to hold this honour.
The ISL teams will not be qualified for a spot in the AFC Champions League 2024–25 under the new club tournament ranking system, which is a drawback. As a result, the teams will now qualify for the AFC Cup group stage rather than a straight spot in the ACL.
Last but not least, starting with this season, the League champions rather than the knockout winners will be deemed the ISL Champions. This would imply that Mumbai City, the league champions for 2022–23, rather than Mohun Bagan, will be awarded the ISL Champions badge.
New encounters
Read More :- New adventures of Punjab FC in ISL
There is always a concern about how a new team would affect the league’s standard. But there is no denying that Indian football appears to be about to undergo a transformation. It’s time for more Indian players in international leagues, as Sunil Chhetri, the captain of the national team, has highlighted. That would establish them as household names in the football community. Much like Wincomparator, which provides coverage of every football game played worldwide.
The ultimate goal is to match the calibre of renowned leagues throughout the globe. Such as the Premier League, although getting there would require more major efforts. The mere establishment of a second squad won’t suddenly improve the standard of play and prepare Indian players for participation in foreign competitions. It still needs to raise the bar for competitiveness, though. The ISL was created with the intention of revolutionising Indian football. There is still a long way to go, but the league wanted to foster a culture that would promote the sport in a country that is passionate about cricket.
ISL should, in theory, make more significant expenditures in infrastructure and grassroots football over the course of the upcoming decade. To draw more spectators to the stadium, however greater attention should be paid to youth development and enhanced fan interaction. On the pitch, the emphasis should be on improving the players and raising the standard.
Follow our Twitter Handle for more updates.
