The National Football League (NFL) was the men's highest level of the Indian football league system from 1996 to 2007. Founded by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 1996, the NFL was the first football league in India to be organized on a national scale. The AIFF then added a second division in 1997 and a third division was soon added by the governing body in 2006. The NFL was eventually replaced by the I-League for the 2007–08 season in order to professionalize the sport in India.
As well as league competition, clubs in the NFL would also participate in the main domestic cup competition, the Federation Cup. The NFL champions would also participate in the Indian Super Cup against the Federation Cup champion. NFL players could also participate in the state-based Santosh Trophy competition.
History
The National Football League was founded by the All India Football Federation, the governing body for football in India, in 1996. The aim of the league was to promote the development of the sport in the country. JCT Mills of Punjab won the inaugural season of the league. Then Indian international Bhaichung Bhutia was the league's top goalscorer with 14 goals. To supplement the Premier Division, the AIFF began the second division of the NFL in 1997. Tollygunge Agragami of Kolkata were the inaugural second division champions. The inaugural season of the under-19 league would see East Bengal crowned champions. After the season concluded, the AIFF announced that the NFL would be disbanded and replaced with a new fully-professional league, the I-League for the 2007–08 season. Dempo finished as the final NFL champions.
! Runners-up
! Third place
! Leading goalscorer(s)
! Goals
|-
| align=center|
| JCT Mills
| Churchill Brothers
| East Bengal
| Bhaichung Bhutia (JCT Mills)
| align=center|14
|-
| align=center|1997–98
| Mohun Bagan
| rowspan="2" | East Bengal
| Salgaocar
| Raman Vijayan (Kochin)
| align=center|10
|-
| align=center|1998–99
| Salgaocar
| Churchill Brothers
| Philip Mensah (Churchill Brothers)
| rowspan="2" align="center" |11
|-
| align=center|1999–00
| Mohun Bagan
| Churchill Brothers
| Salgaocar
| Igor Shkvyrin (Mohun Bagan)
|-
| align=center|2000–01
| East Bengal
| Mohun Bagan
| Churchill Brothers
| José Ramirez Barreto (Mohun Bagan)
| align=center|14
|-
| align=center|2001–02
| Mohun Bagan
| Churchill Brothers
| rowspan="2" | Vasco
| rowspan="2" | Yusif Yakubu (Churchill Brothers)
| align=center|18
|-
| align=center|2002–03
| rowspan="2" | East Bengal
| Salgaocar
| align=center|21
|-
| align=center|2003–04
| Dempo
| Mahindra United
| Cristiano Júnior (East Bengal)
| align=center|15
|-
| align=center|2004–05
| Dempo
| Sporting Goa
| East Bengal
| Dudu Omagbemi (Sporting Goa)
| align=center|21
|-
| align=center|2005–06
| Mahindra United
| East Bengal
| Mohun Bagan
| Ranti Martins (Dempo)
| align=center|13
|-
| align=center|2006–07
| Dempo
| JCT Mills
| Mahindra United
| Odafa Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers)
| align=center|18
|}
Second Division
Third Division
See also
- List of Indian football champions
- Indian football league system
- Indian Super League