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Mumbai Football League
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Mumbai Football League

Mumbai Football League
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
Founded1902; 123 years ago (1902)
(as Harwood League)[1]
CountryIndia
Divisions5
Number of clubs100+
Level on pyramid1–6
Promotion toVarious
Relegation toVarious
Domestic cupRovers Cup (formerly)
League cupNadkarni Cup

The Mumbai Football League, also known as the Harwood League,[1] is organised by the 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]

Structure

[edit]
Mumbai Football League
Tier Division
1
(Maharashtra football pyramid)
Maharashtra State Senior Men's Football League
↑promote (I-League 3) ↓relegate
2
(Maharashtra football pyramid)
Mumbai Premier League
↑promote ↓relegate
3
(Maharashtra football pyramid)
Mumbai Super League
↑promote ↓relegate
4
(Maharashtra football pyramid)
MFA First Division Championship
↑promote ↓relegate
5
(Maharashtra football pyramid)
MFA Second Division Championship
↑promote ↓relegate
6
(Maharashtra football pyramid)
MFA Third Division Championship
↑promote

Maharashtra State Senior Men's Football League

[edit]
Maharashtra State Senior Men's Football League
Organising bodyWestern India Football Association
Founded2025; 0 years ago (2025)
CountryIndia
Number of clubs8 (2024–25)
Level on pyramid1 (Maharasthra football pyramid)
Promotion toI-League 3
Relegation toMumbai Premier League
Pune Football League
District leagues
Domestic cupNadkarni Cup
Current championsMagic Made Soccer (2025)
Websitehttps://wifa.in/
Current: 2024–25

Mumbai Premier League

[edit]

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

Mumbai Super League

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The Mumbai Super League,[10] formerly known as the MFA Super Division or MDFA Super Division, is the third tier of the Mumbai Football League competition, organized by the Mumbai District Football Association. The top two teams from super six of the Mumbai Super League get promoted to the Mumbai Premier League. The last-placed teams in the groups get relegated to the First Division. It is contested by 37 teams. The current champions are Mumbai City U19 and India on Track are runners-up.

Mumbai Super League
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
CountryIndia
Number of clubs47
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toMumbai Premier League
Relegation toMFA First Division Championship
League cupNadkarni Cup
Current championsMumbai City U19
WebsiteMumbai Super League
Current: 2025–26 Mumbai Super League

Format

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All the 37 teams are divided into three groups. Two groups with 12 teams and one with 13. The top two teams from each group will advance to the playoffs (super six). 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 Mumbai Premier League.

First Division Championship

[edit]
MFA First Division Championship
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
Level on pyramid4
Promotion toMumbai Super League
Relegation toMFA Second Division Championship
League cupNadkarni Cup
WebsiteMFA First Division Championship
  1. All the teams in the division will be divided into five 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.

Second Division Championship

[edit]
MFA Second Division Championship
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
Level on pyramid5
Promotion toMFA First Division Championship
Relegation toMFA Third Division Championship
League cupNadkarni Cup
WebsiteMFA Second Division Championship
  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

Third Division Championship

[edit]
MFA Third Division Championship
Organising bodyMumbai Football Association (MFA)
Level on pyramid6
Promotion toMFA Second Division Championship
League cupNadkarni Cup
WebsiteMFA Third Division Championship
  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.

Champions

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Year Champion 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 Central Railway SC
1993 Bank of India (Mumbai) ONGC (Oil & Natural Gas Commission)
1994 Air India Carmelites SC
1995 Mahindra & Mahindra Central Railway SC
1996 Air India Royal Caterers
1997 Air India Abandoned
1998 Bengal Mumbai Village Amboli
1999 Air India 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 / Mumbai Premier League
2000 Mahindra United
2001–02 Mahindra United
2002 Mahindra United
2003 Mahindra United
2004 Mahindra United
2005 Maharashtra State Police
2006–07 Mahindra United
2007–08 Mahindra United
2008–09 Mahindra United
2009–10 Air India
2010–11 Mumbai
2011–12 ONGC
2012–13 None Not held
2013–14 Air India
2014–15 Air India
2015–16 ONGC
2016–17 Air India
2017–18 ONGC
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 [12]
2022–23 Ambernath United Atlanta [13]
2023–24 MYJGMSC [14]
2024–25 India On Track FC [15]
Source: Mumbai (Bombay) League champions

See also

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References

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Further reading

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