Mumbai Football League
MFA Mumbai Premier League logo (newly introduced highest division of Mumbai Football)
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
Founded1902; 122 years ago (1902)
(as Harwood League)[1]
CountryIndia
Divisions5
Number of teamsVarious
Level on pyramid5–9
Promotion toVarious
Relegation toVarious
Domestic cup(s)Rovers Cup
League cup(s)Nadkarni Cup
Current championsAmbernath United Atlanta (1st title)
Most championshipsTata Sports Club
Mahindra United FC
(13 titles each)

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]

League structure

Mumbai Football League
Tier Division
1
(5 on Indian pyramid) 		MFA Elite Division
↑promote (to I-League 3) ↓relegate
2
(6 on Indian pyramid) 		MFA Super Division
↑promote ↓relegate
3
(7 on Indian pyramid) 		MFA Division One
↑promote ↓relegate
4
(8 on Indian pyramid) 		MFA Division Two
↑promote ↓relegate
5
(9 on Indian pyramid) 		MFA Division Three
↑promote

Elite Division (Premier Elite League)

The MFA Elite Division, formerly known as the MDFA Elite Division, is the first tier of the Mumbai Football League competition.[6][7] In March 2022, the MFA Elite Division 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]

MFA Elite Division
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
Founded1902; 122 years ago (1902)[1]
Number of teams18
Level on pyramid5
Promotion toI-League 3
Relegation toMFA Super Division
League cup(s)Nadkarni Cup
Most championshipsTata Sports Club
Mahindra United FC
(13 titles each)
Current: 2023–24

Format

The teams play each other in two groups, MFA Elite Premier League for the private clubs and MFA Elite Corporate League for the institutional clubs, in a round-robin single leg format. The top three teams at the end of the league will be declared winners and runners up and will advance to the championship round called Harwood Champions League whose winner will win the top division. The teams finishing in the bottom at the end of the league phase will be relegated to the Super Division.[10]

MFA Elite Division
Championship round Harwood Champions League
Group stage MFA Elite Premier League MFA Elite Corporate League

Winners by year

Year Winner Note
1902 United Kingdom Oxfordshire Light Infantry
1903 United Kingdom Royal Garrison Artillery
1904 United Kingdom Cheshire Regiment
1905 United Kingdom Yorkshire Regiment
1906 United Kingdom Royal Scots
1907 United Kingdom Royal Scots
1908 United Kingdom Royal Scots
1909 United Kingdom Gloucestershire Regiment
1910 United Kingdom Royal Garrison Artillery
1911 United Kingdom Royal Warwickshire Regiment
1912 British Raj Royal Army Temperance Association
1913 United Kingdom Sherwood Foresters
1914 United Kingdom Sherwood Foresters
1915 United Kingdom Royal Garrison Artillery
1916–1920 None Not held
1921 United Kingdom King's Shropshire Light Infantry
1922 United Kingdom King's Shropshire Light Infantry
1923 United Kingdom Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
1924 United Kingdom West Yorkshire Regiment
1925 United Kingdom West Yorkshire Regiment
1926 United Kingdom South Staffordshire Regiment
1927 United Kingdom Cheshire Regiment
1928 United Kingdom Royal Ulster Rifles
1929 United Kingdom Royal Warwickshire Regiment
1930 United Kingdom Duke of Wellington's Regiment
1931 United Kingdom Duke of Wellington's Regiment
1932 United Kingdom King's Own Scottish Borderers
1933 United Kingdom Royal Irish Fusiliers
1934 British Raj Royal Artillery (Colaba)
1935 United Kingdom Durham Light Infantry
1936 United Kingdom Durham Light Infantry
1937 United Kingdom Cheshire Regiment
1938 United Kingdom Cheshire Regiment
1939 United Kingdom South Lancashire Regiment
1940 United Kingdom Welch Regiment
1941 British Raj Y.M.C.A.
1942 British Raj Western India Automobile Association Staff First native club to win the league.
1943 British Raj Western India Automobile Association Staff
1944 British Raj Embarkation Headquarters
1945 British Raj Tata Sports Club
1946 British Raj 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 FC Central Railway SC
1993 Bank of India (Mumbai) ONGC (Oil & Natural Gas Commission)
1994 Air India FC Carmelites SC
1995 Mahindra & Mahindra Central Railway SC
1996 Air India FC Royal Caterers
1997 Air India FC Abandoned
1998 Bengal Mumbai FC Village Amboli
1999 Air India FC 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 FC
2001–02 Mahindra United FC
2002 Mahindra United FC
2003 Mahindra United FC
2004 Mahindra United FC
2005 Maharashtra State Police
2006–07 Mahindra United FC
2007–08 Mahindra United FC
2008–09 Mahindra United FC
2009–10 Air India FC
2010–11 Mumbai FC
2011–12 ONGC FC
2012–13 None Not held
2013–14 Air India FC
2014–15 Air India FC
2015–16 ONGC FC
2016–17 Air India FC
2017–18 ONGC FC
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 FC [12]
2022–23 Ambernath United Atlanta FC [13]
Source: Mumbai (Bombay) League Champions

Super Division

The MFA Super Division,[14] formerly known as the MDFA Super Division, is a men's football league in Mumbai. The league serves as the second-tier, organized by the Mumbai District Football Association. The champions of the Super Division get promoted to the MFA Elite Division. The last place teams in the groups gets relegated to the First Division. It is contested by 33 clubs. The current champions are Reliance Foundation Youth Champs and Atlanta FC are runners up.[15] The Super Division is the second highest division in MFL organised by Mumbai District Football Association.

Further information: 2017–18 MDFA Super Division
MFA Super Division
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
CountryIndia
Number of teams33
Level on pyramid6
Promotion toMFA Elite Division
Relegation toMFA Division One
League cup(s)Nadkarni Cup
Current championsReliance Foundation Youth Champs
(2019–20)
Current: 2021–22 MFA Super Division

Format

All the teams in the division are divided into four or more groups and shall play a preliminary phase of round-robin games. The top two teams from each group will advance to the playoffs. 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 Elite Division.

All-time participants

Teams
Spartans Football Academy
SAFC Rangers
Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana
ICL Payyade
Central Railway (MD)
Chedda Nagar Prodigies
DECA(D'assisi Ex-students Charitable Association)
Desperados S.C.
ESIC
Tarun Sporting Club
Income Tax
Juhu Sparks
Teleperformance
Kenkre FC U19
Fr. Agnel Gymkhana
Iron Born F.C.
Mumbai Marines FC
Mumbai Port Trust
Mumbai Warriors
Reserve Bank Of India
Sunday Boys F.C.
Scorost United
Veniza Virar F.C.
Soccer XI
Springfields F.C.
Reliance Foundation Young Champs
Mumbai Ultras F.C.
State Bank Of India
West Zone United

Division One

MFA Division One
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
Level on pyramid7
Promotion toMFA Super Division
Relegation toMFA Division Two
League cup(s)Nadkarni Cup
Current championsCommunity Football Club India
  1. All the teams in the division will be divided into four or more groups and shall play a preliminary phase of round-robin games.
  2. The top two teams from each group will advance to the post-season playoffs.
  3. The points and goals scored in the preliminary phase will not be carried forward to the next round.
  4. 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.
  5. The teams in last place in each group after the completion of the preliminary league will be demoted to the Division Two.

Division Two

MFA Division Two
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
Level on pyramid9
Promotion toMFA Division One
Relegation toMFA Division Three
League cup(s)Nadkarni Cup
  1. All the teams in the division will be divided into six or more groups and shall play a preliminary phase of round-robin games.
  2. The top two teams from each group will advance to the post-season playoffs.
  3. The points and goals scored in the preliminary phase will not be carried forward to the next round.
  4. 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.
  5. All eight quarter-finalists will be promoted to the Division One

Division Three

MFA Division Three
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
Level on pyramid8
Promotion toMFA Division Two
League cup(s)Nadkarni Cup
  1. All the teams in the division will be divided into eight or more groups and shall play a preliminary phase of round-robin games.
  2. The top two/three teams from each group will advance to the post-season playoffs.
  3. The points and goals scored in the preliminary phase will not be carried forward to the next round.
  4. 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.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "India – List of Mumbai (Bombay) League Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  2. ^ "History: The Harwood League". wifa.in. Western India Football Association. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  3. ^ Neil Morrison. "India - List of Mumbai (Bombay) League Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  4. ^ "History". WIFA. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ History: The Harwood League Archived 23 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine. wifa.in. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  7. ^ Yadav, Siddharth (7 December 2016). "MFA Elite Division 2016–17: The Big Preview". Football Counter. Retrieved 7 December 2016.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "Harwood Champions League". The Away End. Archived from the original on 31 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  11. ^ "MDFA distribute trophies for Season 2019-20". Footballcounter. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  12. ^ "'Invincible' Ambernath Utd – Atlanta FC lift Harwood Champions League title". Footballcounter. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "MFA announce teams for Super Division". Football Counter. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  15. ^ Shetty, Chittu (4 November 2021). "MFA announce teams for Super Division". Football Counter. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2021.

Further reading

External links

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