AIFF defers transfer window as I-League adopts 3+1 foreigner rule

The summer transfer window for the Indian leagues (I-League and ISL) has been postponed by the all India Football Federation due to the ravaging coronavirus pandemic.

India’s summer transfer window was scheduled to open June 9th and close on August 31st but the all India Football Federation executive committee, as a result of the uncertainty as regards the time when the resumption of football is safe.

However, despite the postponement, the AIFF has stated that the window won’t be reduced in length when it resumes as it will span its usual number of days.

Meanwhile, the announcement of new dates for the summer transfer window will be made the schedule for the new I-League and ISL seasons immediately is made.

The all India Football Federation cannot decide a date without the green light from both bodies; hence there isn’t a time frame of resumption for both leagues, thus making the postponement of transfer imperative.

Meanwhile, the All India Football Federation has directed Indian clubs to implement the 3+1 rule of foreign players as directed by the Asia football Confederations.

The rule will take immediate effect in the I-League while the India Super League has been asked to implement it from the 2021-2022 season.

With the new rule, only four foreign players would be allowed in a team. One of them must be from an Asian Confederation country.

The directive was made on Wednesday when the executive committee of the All India Football Federation met via video conference to discuss issues surrounding the restart of leagues in India.

Furthermore, one of the issues discussed includes the need for India Super League club sides to play at least 27 games to be eligible to play in the AFC champions league.

However, India Super League clubs may not be play 27 matches for the 2020-2021 season due to the delay in the start to the new season because of the coronavirus pandemic

Written by: Daniel Ademiju Idowu