Football in India
National Football League, established in 1996 by governing body All India Football Federation (AIFF) was the first "semi-professional" football league in India. 
The League was renamed and restructured and the I-League was founded in 2006 after India's former top league the National Football League disbanded in a successful effort aimed at increasing the game in India. Links with clubs that were not in the I-League were maintained, and each season the bottom two clubs are relegated from the I-League and replaced by two from the I-League 2nd Division. The I-League is currently contested between 11 clubs. The Kolkata Derby in the I League (and other tournaments) played between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal is one of the most fierce rivalries in the world (featured in FIFA website) and one of the oldest derbies in the world (90 years). An average 80, 000 to 100, 000 supporters throng the stadium in this special fixture.
Malabar Premier League
Following the success of the Indian Super League for football in India and the 2015 National Games of India, which were hosted by Kerala, it was announced that the Malappuram District Sports Council, with support from the Kerala Football Association, would launch the Malabar Premier League. The goal of the league would be to get young footballers from the district into a proper playing environment and thus make football a more professionalized sport in the area. On 2 March 2015 the official logo of the league was unveiled, as well as the initial eight franchises.