U-19 I-League Starts early next year, Bengaluru FC to play in Jamshedpur

U-19 I-League is set to start at January next year. AIFF announced this in a seminar held at their Head Quarters yesterday, which was attended by twenty five Representatives from the thirteen I-League clubs. 

Airtel I-League CEO, Sunanda Dhar spoke about his plans for the U-19 I-League, “The reason for the expansion of this form of the league is to bring in more teams from the II Division and the Academies, and give proper exposure to the youngsters who will be the next stars of Indian Football”. 

The League would be played first on a zonal home and away basis, followed by the final-leg in Jamshedpur. The zonal groups will be played in Kolkata, Mumbai, Shillong, Goa, and another group formed by other teams from the Rest of India, which will be played on a single-leg basis in Jamshedpur ahead of the Final-leg. 

Interestingly, the II Division teams and the top academies will form a part of the zonal groupings. The top team from each zone, and two teams from the Rest of India zone, that is a total of six teams will play in round robin format in the final round, which will commence only on mid-April. 

Goa Zone Dempo SC Churchill Brothers  Sporting Clube de Goa Salgaocar FC Sesa FA	Kolkata Zone Mohammedan Sporting  United Sports Club Kingfisher East Bengal McDowell Mohun Bagan Kalighat MS Bhowanipore FC
Maharashtra Zone Mumbai FC Pune FC AIFF Academy Mumbai Tigers FC Kenkre PIFA	Shillong Zone Shillong Lajong FC Rangdajied United FC Green Valley Royal Wahingdoh
Rest of India Zone Bengaluru FC Tata Football Academy Aizawl FC MP United FC Hindustan FC USFC Eagles FC Garhwal FC