Pune Football League

PDFA Super Division, top flight of Pune Football
Organising body	Poona District Football Association
Country	India
Divisions	4 (Super Division Division One Division Two Division Three)
Number of teams	100+
Level on pyramid	5-8 (in Indian football league system)
Current champions	Genesis FC (3 titles)
Website	https://pdfa.co.in/
Current: 2022 Pune Football League

The Pune Football League is an organized competition overseen by the Poona District Football Association in Pune District of Maharashtra.^[1] It follows a ladder-based structure and includes four divisions with over 100 teams.^[2] The league encompasses teams from various locations across Pune District, the city of Pune, spanning from Pimpri-Chinchwad to Hadapsar.^[3][4]

The top-level divisions, namely the PFL Super and First Divisions, operate with a professional or semi-professional setup. These teams typically practice around three times a week, and players receive a monthly stipend as per prior agreement. In the lower divisions, players receive match fees per game, typically ranging between 50 and 300 rupees, along with conveyance allowances. However, certain low-budget teams may not provide any monetary benefits. Practices for these teams usually occur once a week, on average.

Most teams lack additional support staff such as physiotherapists or nutritionists, with the coach managing the team's financial matters and overseeing other aspects of the team.

During the pre-season phase, clubs conduct trials, and the final roster of twenty-two players is registered with the Mumbai District Football Association. It is prohibited for a player to represent two teams in the same calendar year.

The initial round-robin phase of the league typically lasts for three months, and the top-performing teams proceed to a month-long post-season phase to determine the champions and promoted teams.

League structure

Super Division

The Super Division represents the highest level of competition in the PFL, which is organized by the Pune District Football Association.

Super Division Format

In this format, all teams participate in an all-play-all format, where each team plays against every other team. Following this preliminary phase, the top six teams from each group will advance to the postseason playoffs. It is important to note that the points and goals scored during the preliminary phase do not carry over to the next round. At the conclusion of the round-robin playoff league, the team standing in first place and the team standing in second place will be declared the winner and runner-up, respectively. Additionally, they will be promoted to the MAHA League for the 2018-19 season. Conversely, the two teams at the bottom of the preliminary league will be demoted to Division One for the 2019–20 season.

Participating Teams

Division One

The Division One structure has been recently introduced by the Pune District Football Association (PDFA).^[5]

Division One Format

In this format, all the teams in the division are divided into two or more groups and compete in a preliminary phase of round-robin games. The top two teams from each group will progress to the postseason playoffs. It is important to note that the points and goals scored during the preliminary phase do not carry over to the next round. At the conclusion of the round-robin playoff league, the team standing in first place and the team standing in second place will be declared the winner and runner-up, respectively. Furthermore, they will earn promotion to the Super Division for the 2018-19 season. Conversely, the teams that finish last in their respective groups at the end of the preliminary league will be relegated to Division Two for the 2019–20 season.

Participating Teams

Division Two

The Division Two has been announced by the Pune District Football Association (PDFA) and will feature twenty teams, similar to the previous year.

Division Two Format

In this format, all the teams in the division will be divided into three groups and participate in a preliminary phase of round-robin games. The top two teams from each group will progress to the postseason playoffs. It's important to note that the points and goals scored during the preliminary phase will not carry over to the next round. The post-season playoffs will consist of a league phase followed by a single-leg knockout format to determine the participants in the Division Two Final. All eight quarterfinalists will earn promotion to Division One for the 2019–20 season.

Participating Teams

Division Three

The Pune District Football Association (PDFA) has made the decision to restructure the Pune Football League, introducing the new PFL Division Three, which will be one of the largest divisions. This year, a total of 51 teams will participate in the third division.

Division Three Format

In this format, all the teams in the division will be divided into eight or more groups and compete in a preliminary phase of round-robin games. The top two or three teams from each group will progress to the postseason playoffs. It's important to note that the points and goals scored during the preliminary phase will not carry over to the next round. The post-season playoffs will consist of a league phase followed by a single-leg knockout format to determine the participants in the Division Three Final. All eight quarterfinalists will earn promotion to Division Two for the 2019–20 season.

Participating Teams