Mumbai Football League
| Organising body | Mumbai Football Association (MFA) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1902 (as Harwood League)[1] |
| Country | India |
| Divisions | 5 |
| Number of teams | 100+ |
| Level on pyramid | 5–9 |
| Relegation to | Various |
| Domestic cup(s) | Rovers Cup |
| League cup(s) | Nadkarni Cup |
The Mumbai Football League, also known as the Harwood League,[1] is organised by Mumbai Football Association (MFA), as a ladder-based competition involving a total of five divisions and over 300 teams.[2][3] It is the top football league in Mumbai and the second oldest football league in Asia after Calcutta Football League.[4]
The league was named after colonel Harwood who founded the Bombay Football Association and became first president.[5]
Structure
[edit]| Mumbai Football League | |
|---|---|
| Tier | Division |
| 1 (5 on Indian Football pyramid) | Mumbai Premier League ↑promote (to I-League 3) ↓relegate |
| 2 (6 on Indian Football pyramid) | Mumbai Super League ↑promote ↓relegate |
| 3 (7 on Indian Football pyramid) | MFA First Division Championship ↑promote ↓relegate |
| 4 (8 on Indian Football pyramid) | MFA Second Division Championship ↑promote ↓relegate |
| 5 (9 on Indian Football pyramid) | MFA Third Division Championship ↑promote |
Mumbai Premier League
[edit]Mumbai Premier League, formerly known as the MFA Elite Division or MDFA Elite Division, is the first tier of the Mumbai Football League competition.[6][7] In March 2022, the Mumbai Premier League was rechristened as the Harwood Premier League, on the lines of the name that was once associated with the Mumbai's top division football, stretching back to 1902.[8][9]
Mumbai Super League
[edit]The Mumbai Super League,[10] formerly known as the MFA Super Division or MDFA Super Division, is the second tier of the Mumbai Football League competition, organized by the Mumbai District Football Association. The top two teams from super six of the Mumbai Super League get promoted to the Mumbai Premier League. The last-place teams in the groups get relegated to the First Division. It is contested by 37 clubs. The current champions are Mumbai City U19 and India on Track are runners-up.
| Organising body | Mumbai Football Association (MFA) |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Number of teams | 37 |
| Level on pyramid | 6 |
| Promotion to | Mumbai Premier League |
| Relegation to | MFA First Division Championship |
| League cup(s) | Nadkarni Cup |
| Current champions | Mumbai City U19 |
| Website | Mumbai Super League |
| Current: 2024–25 Mumbai Super League | |
Format
[edit]All the 37 teams are divided into three groups. Two groups with 12 teams and one with 13. The top two teams from each group will advance to the playoffs (super six). The points and goals scored in the preliminary phase will not be carried forward to the next round. The top two teams at the end of the league will be promoted to the Mumbai Premier League.
First Division Championship
[edit]| Organising body | Mumbai Football Association (MFA) |
|---|---|
| Level on pyramid | 7 |
| Promotion to | Mumbai Super League |
| Relegation to | MFA Second Division Championship |
| League cup(s) | Nadkarni Cup |
| Website | MFA First Division Championship |
- All the teams in the division will be divided into five groups and shall play a preliminary phase of round-robin games.
- The top two teams from each group will advance to the post-season playoffs.
- The points and goals scored in the preliminary phase will not be carried forward to the next round.
- The team standing first and second after the completion of the round-robin playoff league shall be declared the winner and runner-up and will be promoted to the Super Division.
- The teams in last place in each group after the completion of the preliminary league will be demoted to the Division Two.
Second Division Championship
[edit]| Organising body | Mumbai Football Association (MFA) |
|---|---|
| Level on pyramid | 9 |
| Promotion to | MFA First Division Championship |
| Relegation to | MFA Third Division Championship |
| League cup(s) | Nadkarni Cup |
| Website | MFA Second Division Championship |
- All the teams in the division will be divided into six or more groups and shall play a preliminary phase of round-robin games.
- The top two teams from each group will advance to the post-season playoffs.
- The points and goals scored in the preliminary phase will not be carried forward to the next round.
- The post season playoffs will include a league phase followed by a single-leg knock out format to decide who will contest the Division Two final.
- All eight quarter-finalists will be promoted to the Division One
Third Division Championship
[edit]| Organising body | Mumbai Football Association (MFA) |
|---|---|
| Level on pyramid | 8 |
| Promotion to | MFA Second Division Championship |
| League cup(s) | Nadkarni Cup |
| Website | MFA Third Division Championship |
- All the teams in the division will be divided into eight or more groups and shall play a preliminary phase of round-robin games.
- The top two/three teams from each group will advance to the post-season playoffs.
- The points and goals scored in the preliminary phase will not be carried forward to the next round.
- The post season playoffs will include a league phase followed by a single-leg knock out format to decide who will contest the Division Three final.
Champions of the top-most division
[edit]| Year | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1902 |  Oxfordshire Light Infantry | |
| 1903 | Royal Garrison Artillery | |
| 1904 | Cheshire Regiment | |
| 1905 | Yorkshire Regiment | |
| 1906 | Royal Scots | |
| 1907 | Royal Scots | |
| 1908 | Royal Scots | |
| 1909 | Gloucestershire Regiment | |
| 1910 | Royal Garrison Artillery | |
| 1911 | Royal Warwickshire Regiment | |
| 1912 |  Royal Army Temperance Association | |
| 1913 | Sherwood Foresters | |
| 1914 | Sherwood Foresters | |
| 1915 | Royal Garrison Artillery | |
| 1916–1920 | None | Not held |
| 1921 | King's Shropshire Light Infantry | |
| 1922 | King's Shropshire Light Infantry | |
| 1923 | Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers | |
| 1924 | West Yorkshire Regiment | |
| 1925 | West Yorkshire Regiment | |
| 1926 | South Staffordshire Regiment | |
| 1927 | Cheshire Regiment | |
| 1928 | Royal Ulster Rifles | |
| 1929 | Royal Warwickshire Regiment | |
| 1930 | Duke of Wellington's Regiment | |
| 1931 | Duke of Wellington's Regiment | |
| 1932 | King's Own Scottish Borderers | |
| 1933 | Royal Irish Fusiliers | |
| 1934 | Royal Artillery (Colaba) | |
| 1935 | Durham Light Infantry | |
| 1936 | Durham Light Infantry | |
| 1937 | Cheshire Regiment | |
| 1938 | Cheshire Regiment | |
| 1939 | South Lancashire Regiment | |
| 1940 | Welch Regiment | |
| 1941 | Y.M.C.A. | |
| 1942 | Western India Automobile Association Staff | First native club to win the league. |
| 1943 | Western India Automobile Association Staff | |
| 1944 | Embarkation Headquarters | |
| 1945 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1946 | Trades India Sports Club | |
| 1947 | Trades India Sports Club | |
| 1948 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1949 | Trades India Sports Club | |
| 1950 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1951 | India Culture League | |
| 1952 | India Culture League | |
| 1953 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1954 | Indian Navy | |
| 1955 | None | Abandoned |
| 1956 | Burmah-Shell Sports Club | |
| 1957 | Indian Navy | |
| 1958 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1959 | Western Railway SC | |
| 1960 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1961 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1962 | Western Railway SC | |
| 1963 | Central Railway SC | |
| 1964 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1965 | Central Railway SC | |
| 1966 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1967 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1968 | Mafatlal Group | |
| 1969 | Mafatlal Group | |
| 1970 | Mahindra & Mahindra | |
| 1971 | Mafatlal Group | |
| 1972 | Mafatlal Group | |
| 1973 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1974–75 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1975–76 | Mafatlal Group | |
| 1976 | Mafatlal Group | |
| 1977 | Orkay Mills | |
| 1978–79 | Mafatlal Group | |
| 1979 | Tata Sports Club | |
| 1980 | Orkay Mills | |
| 1981 | Century Rayon FC | |
| 1982 | Mahindra & Mahindra | |
| 1983 | Mafatlal Mills | |
| 1984 | Mahindra & Mahindra | |
| 1985 | Mahindra & Mahindra | |
| 1986 | Bank of India (Mumbai) | |
| 1987 | Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) | |
| 1988 | Orkay Mills | |
| 1989 | Union Bank of India | |
| Two separate leagues ran in competition to each other. The BDFA league retained the right to use the name "Harwood League", while the best teams eventually migrated to the WIFA league. | ||
| 1990–99 | WIFA League, Super Division | BDFA/MDFA League (The Harwood League) |
| 1990 | Bank of India (Mumbai) | Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) |
| 1991 | Central Bank | United Boys (Sahar) |
| 1992 | Air India | Central Railway SC |
| 1993 | Bank of India (Mumbai) | ONGC (Oil & Natural Gas Commission) |
| 1994 | Air India | Carmelites SC |
| 1995 | Mahindra & Mahindra | Central Railway SC |
| 1996 | Air India | Royal Caterers |
| 1997 | Air India | Abandoned |
| 1998 | Bengal Mumbai | Village Amboli |
| 1999 | Air India | unknown (Holy Family/Chembur English/Rhino) |
| In 2000, the two leagues merged when MDFA and WIFA resolved their various disputes. The resultant league has since been run by the MDFA (affiliated to WIFA), with the restored title of The Harwood League. | ||
| Mumbai Football League Elite Division (The Harwood League) | ||
| 2000 | Mahindra United | |
| 2001–02 | Mahindra United | |
| 2002 | Mahindra United | |
| 2003 | Mahindra United | |
| 2004 | Mahindra United | |
| 2005 | Maharashtra State Police | |
| 2006–07 | Mahindra United | |
| 2007–08 | Mahindra United | |
| 2008–09 | Mahindra United | |
| 2009–10 | Air India | |
| 2010–11 | Mumbai | |
| 2011–12 | ONGC | |
| 2012–13 | None | Not held |
| 2013–14 | Air India | |
| 2014–15 | Air India | |
| 2015–16 | ONGC | |
| 2016–17 | Air India | |
| 2017–18 | ONGC | |
| 2018–19 | Mumbai Customs | |
| 2019–20 | Karnataka Sporting Association (KSA) | [11] |
| 2020–21 | None | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in India |
| 2021–22 | Ambernath United Atlanta | [12] |
| 2022–23 | Ambernath United Atlanta | [13] |
| 2023–24 | MYJ–GMSC | [14] |
| Source: Mumbai (Bombay) League Champions | ||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "India – List of Mumbai (Bombay) League Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ "History: The Harwood League". wifa.in. Western India Football Association. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ^ Neil Morrison. "India - List of Mumbai (Bombay) League Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ^ "History". WIFA. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ Nirwane, Sarwadnya (18 January 2022). "Rovers Cup — the second oldest Football tournament in India". thesportslite.com. Mumbai: The Sports Lite. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- ^ History: The Harwood League Archived 23 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine. wifa.in. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ^ Yadav, Siddharth (7 December 2016). "MFA Elite Division 2016–17: The Big Preview". Football Counter. Retrieved 7 December 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Shetty, Chittu (22 March 2022). "MFA planning to rechristen Elite Division as Harwood Premiere League". Football Counter. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- ^ Bose, Liven (29 March 2022). "MFA announce first set of fixtures for MFA Elite League". IFTWC. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- ^ "MFA announce teams for Super Division". Football Counter. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
- ^ "MDFA distribute trophies for Season 2019-20". Footballcounter. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ "'Invincible' Ambernath Utd – Atlanta FC lift Harwood Champions League title". Footballcounter. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ "Atlanta FC secures back-to-back MFA Elite Premier League titles with win over KSA". Footballcounter. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ Shetty, Chittu (24 April 2024). "MYJ-GMSC Crowned Champions with a dramatic win over MH Oranje FC". Football Counter. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
Further reading
[edit]- bhutkar, Prasad (10 January 2016). "Spencer's hat-trick for Sea View sinks a helpless Naval Dockyard side". footballcounter.com. Mumbai. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
External links
[edit]- Official website of the Mumbai Football Association
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