Football: ISL replaces Fed Cup in AFC Cup slot

IANS

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Tuesday approved the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) recommendation to replace Federation Cup with Indian Super League (ISL) in the second-tier continental competition, AFC Cup, in which one slot used to be for India.

The AFC also said that the three-year-old ISL will be played simultaneously with the I-League for the next two seasons as a temporary short-term "bridging solution".

"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," AIFF confirmed in a statement.

"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, 2017," the statement further added.

The ISL will be temporarily played simultaneously with the I-League for six or seven months in the 2017 and 2018 season.

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