New Delhi: Today, the 12th edition of Hero I-League – India’s top football league, was officially launched at a glittering ceremony in the nation’s capital.
The premier football league of the country that kicks off on October 26, 2018, will see 11 teams battling it out for the top honours over a period of 6 months. This season, fans will witness for the top-flight football entering the valley state of Jammu & Kashmir for the first time, with Real Kashmir FC making its much awaited debut. Real Kashmir FC was recently promoted to the Hero I-League after a stupendous run and title win in the Second Division league last season.
Addressing the ceremony, Pawan Munjal, Chairman of Hero MotoCorp said,
“Hero is today one of the largest corporate promoters of sports, particularly football. Hero is the title sponsor of all the domestic football leagues in the country, in addition to being the sponsor of Indian football teams for both men and women across age groups. This is in keeping with our commitment to play the role of a catalyst in growing the game of football. I welcome the Real Kashmir FC team to the Hero I-League this year and look forward to see some high-quality football from all the participating clubs.”
Commenting on the occasion Subrata Dutta, Senior Vice President of AIFF said,
“We are happy to welcome Real Kashmir FC to the league. The pan Indian presence in the league has been its unique feature in the last two editions. Furthermore, with the valley state entering top-flight football this season, the Hero I-League yet again stands true testimony to how it has played a critical role in spreading the game to all corners of the country.”
Kushal Das, General Secretary of AIFF also attended the session and said,
“The Hero I-League has been scouting and nurturing current and future stars of Indian Football over the years. This year we have 11 teams from 10 states fighting for the top honours in the 12th edition. I wish luck to all the participating teams.”
