The Indian Women’s League (IWL) has been postponed to November. The top tier of women’s football in India was officially scheduled to kick off on October 16, but the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is yet to release the fixtures.
According to sources close to the development, the tournament will now begin in mid-November. Meanwhile, IWL 2, the second tier, will go ahead as planned and start on October 23.
The IWL 2 matches will be held in Goa and Shillong. There were discussions about a home-and-away format for the IWL, but the top division is expected to follow a similar model to IWL 2, with matches staged at one or two centres.
Logistical delay: AIFF official
Speaking to Sports Now, an AIFF official said the delay was purely logistical. The federation and Capri Sports are still working through the management and logistical details of the league.
The official added that all IWL matches will be played in the evening, which means every venue must have working floodlights. The organisers want to make sure all venues are fully equipped with basic facilities before the season starts, so that problems don’t crop up once the league is underway.
The postponement adds to the growing uncertainty surrounding women’s football in India. The IWL was originally expected to run from September 3 to January 24, while IWL 2 was slated for July 9 to August 22.
Both calendars were thrown off by a prolonged delay in the AIFF reaching an agreement with Capri Sports over the commercial and marketing rights for the two leagues, along with other organisational issues.
The AIFF and Capri Sports finally signed a deal on September 22, handing the company the commercial and marketing rights to both the IWL and IWL 2. Nearly a month on, the organisers are still working to get the top-flight league ready.
