2021 I-League qualifiers

As per AIFF, ten teams will be selected to participate in I-League 2nd Division qualifiers, through State leagues. Only one team among the nominated two teams from each state will be selected.

1. State association can nominate up to two teams based on the conducted qualifying tournament in most recent season.
2. Nominated teams shall meet AIFF financial requirements and be liable to complete club licensing criteria.{{Cite web|date=August 7, 2021|first=Marcus|last=Mergulhao|title=I-League Qualifiers: AIFF to use financial criteria as tie-breaker to select teams|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/i-league-qualifiers-aiff-to-use-financial-criteria-as-tie-breaker-to-select-teams/articleshow/85114445.cms|access-date=2021-08-30|website=The Times of India|language=en|archive-date=19 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819153059/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/i-league-qualifiers-aiff-to-use-financial-criteria-as-tie-breaker-to-select-teams/articleshow/85114445.cms|url-status=live}}

The following teams were nominated by state associations:{{Cite web|date=August 4, 2021|title=States nominate 29 teams for I-League Qualifiers, AIFF to select 10|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/states-nominate-29-teams-for-i-league-qualifiers-aiff-to-select-10/articleshow/85019932.cms|access-date=2021-08-30|website=The Times of India|language=en|archive-date=5 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805003206/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/states-nominate-29-teams-for-i-league-qualifiers-aiff-to-select-10/articleshow/85019932.cms|url-status=live}}

1. Vizag FC (Andhra Pradesh)
2. Oil India FC, Elevenstar Club (Assam)
3. Shirsh Bihar United FC (Bihar)
4. Indian Heroes Daman and Diu FC, Young Hearts FC (Daman and Diu)
5. Sports Hostel Cuttack (Odisha)
6. Delhi FC, Garhwal FC (Delhi)
7. Vasco SC (Goa)
8. Gandhinagar FC, ARA FC (Gujarat)
9. Techtro Swades United FC, Shimla FC (Himachal Pradesh)
10. Peerless SC, Bhawanipore FC (West Bengal)
11. Hyderya Sports FC, Downtown Heroes FC (Jammu and Kashmir)
12. Kerala United FC, BASCO Othukkungal (Kerala)
13. FC Bengaluru United, Kickstart FC (Karnataka)
14. Madan Maharaj FC (Madhya Pradesh)
15. Ryntih FC (Meghalaya)
16. Rajasthan United FC, Zinc Football (Rajasthan)
17. Corbett FC (Uttarakhand)
18. PIFA Sports FC, Kenkre FC (Maharashtra)

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29 teams were nominated by 18 state associations. Only twelve teams fulfilled the AIFF criteria, and ten teams were accepted for the season.{{Cite web|date=August 31, 2021|title=12 teams fulfil criteria, 10 get nod for I-League Qualifiers|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/12-teams-fulfil-criteria-10-get-nod-for-i-league-qualifiers/articleshow/85779530.cms|access-date=2021-08-30|website=The Times of India|language=en|archive-date=30 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830191449/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/12-teams-fulfil-criteria-10-get-nod-for-i-league-qualifiers/articleshow/85779530.cms|url-status=live}} Later AIFF decided to withdraw Hyderya Sports FC, runners up of Jammu & Kashmir Professional League, after finding the bank guarantee submitted by them to be not genuine.{{Cite web|title=AIFF Statement|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/aiff-statement-20|access-date=2021-09-29|website=www.the-aiff.com|archive-date=29 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210929200314/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/aiff-statement-20|url-status=live}}

Each club could register up to three foreign players in their squad. One of the foreign players had to be from an AFC member nation.

The ten participating teams have been divided into two groups of five. They will face each other once in the first league leg.

Teams finishing at the top two group positions will proceed to the Final round, where they will play against each other once in a round-robin format. The team that finishes top after the end of 26 matches, will earn promotion to the Hero I-League 2021–22 season.

26 matches are set to be played in the entire tournament, with 20 of them being in the group stage, while six matches will be played in the Final round.{{Cite web|title=Hero I-League Qualifiers 2021 to kick-off on October 4|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/hero-i-league-qualifiers-2021-to-kick-off-on-october-4|access-date=2021-08-31|website=www.the-aiff.com|archive-date=31 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831205430/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/hero-i-league-qualifiers-2021-to-kick-off-on-october-4|url-status=live}}

The total number of teams was reduced to nine, after Hyderya Sports FC was found to have produced fake bank guarantee documents.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-27|title=Hyderya Sports Kashmir FC Disqualified from I-League Qualifiers for Producing Fake Bank Guarantee|url=https://www.news18.com/news/football/hyderya-sports-kashmir-fc-produce-fake-bank-guarantee-for-i-league-qualifiers-4252055.html|access-date=2021-09-27|website=News18|language=en|archive-date=27 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927162733/https://www.news18.com/news/football/hyderya-sports-kashmir-fc-produce-fake-bank-guarantee-for-i-league-qualifiers-4252055.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=AIFF disqualifies Hyderya Sports FC for producing fake bank guarantee|url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/aiff-hyderya-sports-fc-fake-bank-guarantee-disqualified-i-league-qualifiers/article36699655.ece|access-date=2021-09-27|website=Sportstar|language=en|archive-date=19 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819153100/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/aiff-hyderya-sports-fc-fake-bank-guarantee-disqualified-i-league-qualifiers/article36699655.ece|url-status=live}}

{{#invoke:Sports table|main

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|team_order = RJU, MMH, RYN, BUD

|result1 = Q

|result2 = Q

|win_BUD=0 |draw_BUD=2 |loss_BUD=1 |gf_BUD=4 |ga_BUD=6

|win_MMH=1 |draw_MMH=2 |loss_MMH=0 |gf_MMH=5 |ga_MMH=4

|win_RJU=1 |draw_RJU=2 |loss_RJU=0 |gf_RJU=5 |ga_RJU=4

|win_RYN=1 |draw_RYN=0 |loss_RYN=2 |gf_RYN=4 |ga_RYN=4

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|name_MMH = Madan Maharaj

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|name_RYN = Ryntih

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|text_Q = Qualified for Finals

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• Sanyasi {{goal|12}}
• S. Singh {{goal|45+1}}
• Thapa {{goal|67}}

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{{Football box collapsible

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• S. Singh {{goal|78}}

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|referee = Lakshay

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{{Football box collapsible

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|time = 15:45

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|team1 = Bengaluru United

|team2 = Madan Maharaj

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• Kumar {{goal|81}}
• Vaz {{goal|90+4}}

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• Bhowmick {{goal|13||52}}
• Murmu {{goal|90+3}}

|stadium = Bangalore Football Stadium

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|attendance = 30

|referee = C. R. Srikrishna

}}

{{Football box collapsible

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|goals2 =

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{{Football box collapsible

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|team1 = Madan Maharaj

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• Murmu {{goal|12}}

|goals2 =

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|stadium = FSV Arena

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|referee = Surojit Das

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• Sohktung {{goal|29}}
• Challam {{goal|77}}

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|attendance = 40

|referee = Lakshay

}}

{{#invoke:Sports table|main

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|update =complete

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|team_order=DFC, KFC, KUT, COR, ARA

|result1 = Q

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|win_COR=0 |draw_COR=2 |loss_COR=2 |gf_COR=2 |ga_COR=8

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|team1 = Kerala United

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• Valiyattu {{goal|48}}

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|team1 = Delhi

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• Barboza {{goal|36}}
• Thingnam {{goal|60}}

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|attendance = 40

|referee = Ramachandran Venkatesh

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{{Football box collapsible

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|team1 = Kerala United

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• Mohammedali {{goal|41}}
• Thonikkara {{goal|83}}

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|stadium = Bangalore Football Stadium

|location = Bangalore, Karnataka

|attendance = 30

|referee = V Eshwar Rao

}}

{{Football box collapsible

|date = {{Start date|2021|10|9|df=y}}

|time = 12:30

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|team1 = Corbett

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• Chidi {{goal|13}}

|goals2 =

• Plaza {{goal|45+2}}
• Ali Jr. {{goal|75||90+5}}
• Shadap {{goal|89}}
• Bohham {{goal|90}}

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|referee = Mrutyunjay Amatya

}}

{{Football box collapsible

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• Dahir {{goal|70}}

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• Mhatre {{goal|66}}

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|referee = Ranjita Devi Tekcham

}}

{{Football box collapsible

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|team1 = Kenkre

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|stadium = Bangalore Football Stadium

|location = Bangalore, Karnataka

|attendance = 10

|referee = Suresh Devaraj

}}

{{Football box collapsible

|date = {{Start date|2021|10|12|df=y}}

|time = 15:45

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|team1 = Delhi

|team2 = Kerala United

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• Ali Jr. {{goal|48}}
• Jangra {{goal|61}}

|goals2 =

• Dhath {{goal|23}}

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|attendance = 50

|referee = C. R. Srikrishna

}}

{{Football box collapsible

|date = {{Start date|2021|10|14|df=y}}

|time = 12:30

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|team1 = ARA

|team2 = Kerala United

|goals1 =

• Shaikh {{goal|83}}

|goals2 =

• Nwankwo {{goal|46||51}}
• Mohammedali {{goal|90+4}}

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|attendance = 25

|referee = Jamal Mohamed

}}

{{Football box collapsible

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|goals2 =

• Bohham {{goal|2}}

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|location = Bangalore, Karnataka

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|referee = Mrutyunjay Amatya

}}

{{#invoke:Sports table|main

|style = WDL

|section = Final Round

|source=[https://www.the-aiff.com/competitions/hero-i-league-qualifiers AIFF]

|name_DFC = Delhi

|name_MMH = Madan Maharaj

|name_RJU = Rajasthan United

|name_KFC = Kenkre

|update=complete

|win_RJU=2 |draw_RJU=1 |loss_RJU=0 |gf_RJU=3 |ga_RJU=0

|win_MMH=0 |draw_MMH=0 |loss_MMH=3 |gf_MMH=0 |ga_MMH=9

|win_DFC=1 |draw_DFC=1 |loss_DFC=1 |gf_DFC=7 |ga_DFC=2

|win_KFC=1 |draw_KFC=2 |loss_KFC=0 |gf_KFC=2 |ga_KFC=1

|status_RJU= C

|team_order=RJU, KFC, DFC, MMH

|result1 = Q

|result2 = Q

|res_col_header = Q

|col_Q = green1

|text_Q = Promotion to 2021–22 I-League

}}

{{Football box collapsible

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|time = 12:30

|score = 1–0

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|team1 = Kenkre

|team2 = Madan Maharaj

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• Raju {{goal|85}}

|goals2 =

|stadium = Bangalore Football Stadium

|location = Bangalore, Karnataka

|attendance = 20

|referee = Ramachandran Venkatesh

}}

{{Football box collapsible

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|time = 15:45

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|team1 = Delhi

|team2 = Rajasthan United

|goals1 =

|goals2 =

• Thapa {{goal|90+2}}

|stadium = Bangalore Football Stadium

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|referee = Surojit Das

}}

{{Football box collapsible

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|team1 = Delhi

|team2 = Kenkre

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• Barboza {{goal|79|pen.}}

|goals2 =

• Pandhare {{goal|56}}

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|attendance = 40

|referee = Jamal Mohamed

}}

{{Football box collapsible

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|time = 15:45

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|team1 = Madan Maharaj

|team2 = Rajasthan United

|goals1 =

|goals2 =

• Chhetri {{goal|88}}
• Hp. Singh {{goal|90+4}}

|stadium = Bangalore Football Stadium

|location = Bangalore, Karnataka

|attendance = 20

|referee = V Eshwar Rao

}}

{{Football box collapsible

|date = {{Start date|2021|10|23|df=y}}

|time = 11:30

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|report = https://administrator.the-aiff.com/reports/9510_Match_Summary_V1_1634976206.pdf

|team1 = Madan Maharaj

|team2 = Delhi

|goals1 =

|goals2 =

• Barboza {{goal|6|pen.}}
• Mali {{goal|20||22}}
• Gagandeep {{goal|57||64}}
• Ali Jr. {{goal|73}}

|stadium = Bangalore Football Stadium

|location = Bangalore, Karnataka

|attendance = 40

|referee = Surojit Das

}}

{{Football box collapsible

|date = {{Start date|2021|10|23|df=y}}

|time = 15:00

|score = 0–0

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|team1 = Rajasthan United

|team2 = Kenkre

|goals1 =

|goals2 =

|stadium = Bangalore Football Stadium

|location = Bangalore, Karnataka

|attendance = 100

|referee = Ramachandran Venkatesh

}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://i-league.org/category/2nd-division-league/ I-League]
• [https://www.the-aiff.com/competitions/second-division AIFF]

{{I-League 2nd Division}}

{{Indian football league seasons}}

{{2020-21 in Indian football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2021 I-League Qualifiers}}

Category:I-League 2 seasons

I-League 2nd Division

Category:2021 in Asian second-tier association football leagues