All India Football Federation

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) () is the organisation which manages the game of association football in India. It administers the running of the national team and also controls the I-League, India's premier domestic club competition, in addition to various other competitions.

The AIFF was founded in 1937, and gained FIFA affiliation in the year 1948, after India's independence in 1947.

India was one of the founder members of the Asian Football Confederation when it was set up in 1954.

History

Before the AIFF

India lacked a structured national football organisation before the foundation of the AIFF, with only a few provincial associations administering the sport regionally. Indian Football Association , the association governing football in the state of West Bengal, was recognised as the sport's de-facto governing body. The IFA at this time was affiliated to The FA, the football association of England, and hence, all foreign tours were organised by the former.

Foundation

On the 23 June 1937 at the Army Headquarters, Shimla, the capital of the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh in India, the AIFF was formed at a meeting of the representatives of football associations of six regions where the game was very popular in those days. The six regions which attended that historic meeting were Indian Football Association - (the ruling body of the game in Bengal), Army Sports Control Board, United Provinces, Bihar, North West India Football Association and Delhi. Before the...
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