1996–97 National Football League (India)
The 1996–97 National Football League, also known as the Philips National League for sponsorship reasons, was the inaugural season of the National Football League. The tournament began on 17 December 1996 and concluded on 16 March 1997. Before the commencement, the All India Football Federation maintained that it would be a semi-professional tournament for the first two years.
Indian Women's League
In 2014, after the success of the India women's team, mainly in the SAFF Women's Championship, a push to start a women's football league, mainly along the lines of the recently started and successful Indian Super League, started. Clubs such as Pune and Bengaluru FC had expressed interest in the joining a women's league. It was around this time that the All India Football Federation started plans to create the ISL-style league for women.