The 2023 CFL Premier Division is the 125th overall season of the Calcutta Football League – highest state-level football divisions of West Bengal. The 2023 edition saw two top tiers merged, with 26 teams participating in the tournament for the first time since its inception.[1]
| Season | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 25 June – 30 November |
| Champions | Mohammedan (14th title) |
| Relegated | West Bengal Police FC Calcutta FC |
| Matches played | 196 |
| Goals scored | 579 (2.95 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | David Lalhlansanga (21) |
| Highest scoring | East Bengal 10–1 Kidderpore (26 September) George Telegraph 10-1 FCI (20 November) |
| Longest unbeaten run | 12 matches (East Bengal) |
← 2022 2024 → | |
Format edit
The 2023 CFL Premier Division merged the top two tiers, Premier A and B, to form an expanded 26-team competition.[2] Two groups of thirteen teams were divided ,with each team playing every other in the group once. The top three teams proceeded to the Super Six round, where they vied for the championship with the points from group stage being carried over.[3] Each group's bottom four teams enter the relegation round.[1][4] As per the rules set by AIFF, this year, no foreign players will be participating in the league. [5]
Available venues edit
- Amal Datta Krirangan, Dum Dum
- Aryan Town Club Ground, Durgapur
- Bankimanjali Stadium, Naihati
- Bidhannagar Municipal Sports Complex
- Canning Stadium, Canning
- East Bengal-Aryan Ground, Kolkata
- Eastern Ground, Chinsurah
- Kalyani Stadium, Kalyani
- Kishore Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
- Mohammedan Sporting Ground, Kolkata
- Mohun Bagan-Calcutta FC Ground, Kolkata
- Netaji Sports Complex, Kamalgazi
- Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, Kolkata
- Rishi Aurobindo Maidan, Konnagar
- Royal Park Stadium, Barrackpore
- Sailen Manna Stadium, Howrah
- Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
- Vidyasagar Krirangan, Barasat
- Vivekananda Stadium, Khardah
Teams edit
2023 CFL Premier Division (West Bengal)
2023 CFL Premier Division (Kolkata)
The 26 teams were divided into two groups based on a draw held on 5 June 2023.[1][6][7]
| Group A | Group B | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Head coach | Captain | Team | Head coach | Captain |
| Army Red |  L Antony Ramesh
|
Suresh Meitei
|
Aryan | Rajdeep Nandy
|
Laltu Mondal
|
| Calcutta FC | Jamshid Nassiri
|
Surojit Das
|
Bhawanipore | Ranjan Chaudhuri
|
Jiten Murmu
|
| Dalhousie AC | Mridul Banerjee
|
Karan Gomes
|
BSS | Subrata Biswas
|
Surajit Seal
|
| Diamond Harbour FC |  Kibu Vicuna
|
Abhishek Das
|
Calcutta Customs | Biswajit Bhattacharya
|
Amit Chakraborty
|
| FCI (East Zone) | Arun Saha
|
Dhananjoy Adhikari
|
East Bengal | Bino George
|
Subhendu Mandi
|
| Kalighat MS | Patam Bahadur Thapa
|
Madan Mandi
|
Eastern Railway | Prasanta Chakraborty
|
Sumit Orao
|
| Mohammedan Sporting | Mehrajuddin Wadoo
|
Samad Ali Mallick
|
George Telegraph | Goutam Ghosh
|
Sourish Lodh Chowdhury
|
| Mohun Bagan SG | Bastab Roy
|
Sumit Rathi
|
Kidderpore | Sayantan Das Roy
|
Gurmeet Singh
|
| Pathachakra | Rajarshi Ghosh
|
Ankan Bhattacharjee
|
Police AC | Supriya Dasgupta
|
Suraj Bahadur Gurung
|
| Peerless | Hemanta Dora[8]
|
Amit Tudu
|
Railway | Kaushik Paul
|
Monish Majumder
|
| Southern Samity | Ranjan Bhattacharjee
|
Debayan Hazra
|
Rainbow | Aditya Chatterjee
|
Debayan Saha
|
| Tollygunge Agragami | Arindam Deb
|
Sujoy Mondal
|
Wari | Micky Fernandes
|
Swarup Sarkar
|
| United |  Steven Herbots
|
Sanjib Mondal
|
West Bengal Police FC | Ashok Chakraborty
|
Subrata Biswas
|
First stage edit
Group A edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohammedan SC | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 9 | +24 | 29 | Qualified for the Super Six round |
| 2 | Diamond Harbour FC | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 5 | +21 | 29 | |
| 3 | Mohun Bagan SG | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 30 | 13 | +17 | 24 | |
| 4 | Kalighat MS | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 8 | +13 | 24 | |
| 5 | Army Red | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 11 | +7 | 21 | |
| 6 | Peerless SC | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 22 | 9 | +13 | 20 | |
| 7 | United SC | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 25 | 8 | +17 | 19 | |
| 8 | Southern Samity | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 17 | −3 | 15 | |
| 9 | Tollygunge Agragami FC | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 28 | −19 | 8 | |
| 10 | Pathachakra | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 28 | −15 | 7 | Relegation round |
| 11 | Calcutta FC | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 38 | −30 | 7 | |
| 12 | FCI (East Zone) | 12 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 32 | −24 | 6 | |
| 13 | Dalhousie AC | 12 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 29 | −21 | 4 |
Updated to match(es) played on 17 September 2023. Source: The Away End
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots
Group B edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Bengal | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 6 | +23 | 30 | Qualified for the Super Six round |
| 2 | Bhawanipore | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 8 | +15 | 27 | |
| 3 | Kidderpore | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 11 | +5 | 25 | |
| 4 | Aryan | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 12 | +16 | 24 | |
| 5 | Calcutta Customs | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 19 | |
| 6 | ASOS Rainbow | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 10 | +1 | 17 | |
| 7 | Wari | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 23 | −7 | 16 | |
| 8 | Railway FC | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 21 | −9 | 12 | |
| 9 | BSS | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 11 | |
| 10 | George Telegraph | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 19 | −8 | 11 | Relegation round |
| 11 | Eastern Railway | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 16 | 26 | −10 | 11 | |
| 12 | Police AC | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 22 | −12 | 10 | |
| 13 | West Bengal Police | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 24 | −12 | 8 |
Updated to match(es) played on 7 September 2023. Source: The Away End
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots
Super Six edit
The top three teams from both groups qualified for the Super Six round with the points from group stage being carried over.[9]
Standings edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohammedan (C) | 17 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 44 | 11 | +33 | 44 | Champions |
| 2 | East Bengal | 17 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 50 | 10 | +40 | 42 | |
| 3 | Diamond Harbour (Q) | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 32 | 12 | +20 | 33 | Eligible for 2024–25 I-League 3[a] |
| 4 | Bhawanipore | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 18 | +8 | 28 | |
| 5 | Mohun Bagan SG | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 33 | 19 | +14 | 25[b] | |
| 6 | Kidderpore | 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 29 | −12 | 25 |
Updated to match(es) played on 30 November 2023. Source: The Away End
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) head-to-head points; 5) head-to-head goal difference; 6) fair play ranking; 7) drawing of lots
(C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) head-to-head points; 5) head-to-head goal difference; 6) fair play ranking; 7) drawing of lots
(C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
Notes:
- ^ If the top teams are already playing in national leagues, then the next highest ranked team(s) would be eligible for I-League 3.
- ^ Mohun Bagan Super Giant was deducted 2 points for not fielding a team against East Bengal on 30 November 2023.[10]
Fixtures edit
- * = Walkover
Relegation Round edit
Points table edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pathachakra | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 30 | 36 | −6 | 23 | |
| 2 | George Telegraph | 19 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 32 | 27 | +5 | 22 | |
| 3 | Police A.C. | 19 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 33 | −11 | 22 | |
| 4 | Eastern Railway | 19 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 23 | 33 | −10 | 20 | |
| 5 | Dalhousie AC | 19 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 36 | −19 | 16 | |
| 6 | FCI | 19 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 52 | −36 | 13 | |
| 7 | WB Police | 19 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 18 | 39 | −21 | 12 | Relegated to the First Division |
| 8 | Calcutta FC | 19 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 50 | −34 | 11 |
Updated to match(es) played on 20 November. Source: The Away End
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) head-to-head points; 5) head-to-head goal difference; 6) fair play ranking; 7) drawing of lots
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) head-to-head points; 5) head-to-head goal difference; 6) fair play ranking; 7) drawing of lots
Fixtures edit
- * = Walkover
Season statistics edit
Top scorers edit
- As of 17 September 2023
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Lalhlansanga
|
Mohammedan SC | 21 |
| 2 | Rahul Paswan
|
Diamond Harbour FC | 12 |
| 3 | Suhail Ahmad Bhat
|
Mohun Bagan SG | 8 |
| 4 | Sahil Harijan
|
Pathachakra | 7 |
| Muhammed Ashiq Shoukathali
|
Kidderpore | ||
| Sagar Kumar Khamaru
|
Eastern Railway | ||
| 7 | Jiten Murmu
|
Bhawanipore | 6 |
| Dipesh Murmu
|
United | ||
| Mandeep Singh Multani
|
Wari | ||
| Liton Shil
|
Army Red |
Hat-tricks edit
Note: In the result, the score of the player's team is mentioned before.
| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saikat Sarkar
|
Aryan | Police AC | 4–1 | 1 July 2023 |
| David Lalhlansanga
|
Mohammedan SC | Calcutta FC | 7–0 | 12 July 2023 |
| Beneston Piecton Barretto
|
Mohammedan SC | Calcutta FC | 7–0 | 12 July 2023 |
| Lalrinliana Hnamte
|
Mohun Bagan SG | Tollygunge Agragami | 5–1 | 12 July 2023 |
| Suhail Ahmad Bhat
|
Mohun Bagan SG | Dalhousie | 5–2 | 16 July 2023 |
| Dipesh Murmu
|
United | Calcutta FC | 8–0 | 25 July 2023 |
| Liton Shil
|
Army Red | Southern Samity | 3–2 | 25 July 2023 |
| Md Amirul
|
Aryan | Kidderpore SC | 4–0 | 26 July 2023 |
| Jesin TK
|
East Bengal | George Telegraph SC | 4–0 | 7 September 2023 |
| Vishnu PV
|
East Bengal | Kidderpore SC | 10–1 | 26 September 2023 |
| Mahitosh Roy
|
East Bengal | Kidderpore SC | 10–1 | 26 September 2023 |
References edit
- ^ a b c "Calcutta Football League (CFL) goes bigger than ever for its historic 125th season". The Fan Garage. 5 June 2023. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ TNN (31 May 2023). "CFL Premier Div 'A' & 'B' to be merged". The Times of India. Kolkata. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ "Calcutta Football League 2023: Confirmed Super Six Phase Teams". Indian Football News. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ Roy, Tania (2 June 2023). "কলকাতা লিগে নিয়মে বদল,শুরুর আগেই বিদ্রোহী কিছু ক্লাব, ভবানীপুর নেমে পড়ল অনুশীলনে" [Change in rules in Calcutta league, before the start some clubs rebel, Bhavanipur came down to practice]. Hindustan Times Bangla (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ Ghosh, Ankon (6 July 2023). "AIFF bars foreign players in State league".
- ^ Chakraborty, Sanghamitra (5 June 2023). "Calcutta Football League: মোহনবাগান-মহমেডানের গ্রুপে অভিষেকের ক্লাব, ইস্টবেঙ্গলের গ্রুপে ভবানীপুর" [Calcutta Football League: Debutant club in Mohun Bagan-Mohammedan group, Bhavanipur in East Bengal group]. TV9 Bangla (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ Biswas, Koushik (5 June 2023). "Calcutta Football League : বাজল কলকাতা ফুটবল লিগের ঘণ্টা, কঠিন গ্রুপে মোহনবাগান" [Calcutta Football League: Bell of Calcutta Football League rings, Mohun Bagan in tough group]. Ei Samay (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ 24x7, Sports Desk (17 July 2022). "Peerless: জয়ের সরণীতে রয়েছে জামশিদ নাসিরির পিয়ারলেস". kolkata24x7.in (in Bengali). Kolkata, West Bengal: কলকাতা 24×7. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Calcutta Football League 2023: Confirmed Super Six Phase Teams". Indian Football News. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ "কলকাতা লিগের বাতিল ডার্বিতে জয়ী ঘোষিত ইস্টবেঙ্গল, পয়েন্ট কাটল মোহনবাগানের" [East Bengal, declared the winner of the canceled Kolkata League derby, Mohun Bagan deducted points]. Xtra Time Bangla (in Bengali). 28 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.