In a significant move, the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) has officially designated the Senior Women’s National Football Championship as the Rajmata Jijabaisaheb Maharaj National Football Championship. The prestigious Final Round of its inaugural edition is set to be hosted by West Bengal.
The Executive Committee’s proposal to rename the Women’s NFC received final approval from the Competitions Committee of the AIFF during a virtual meeting on Monday. The meeting, chaired by Anilkumar Prabhakar and attended by key figures such as AIFF Secretary General Satyanarayan M. and Competitions Committee Deputy Chairperson K. Neibou Sekhose, delved into various topics, including the 2024-25 AIFF season calendar.
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Notably, the Committee endorsed renaming the Senior Women’s National Football Championship to Rajmata Jijabaisaheb Maharaj National Football Championship, aligning with the decision of the Executive Committee. Additionally, the Committee supported the suggestion to name the U-20 NFC as the Swami Vivekananda U-20 National Football Championship, according to the AIFF’s official website.
Commending the Indian Football Association (West Bengal), the Committee announced that the Final Round of the Rajmata Jijabaisaheb Maharaj Senior Women’s NFC is tentatively scheduled to kick off in the second week of April.
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The Competitions Committee, during its deliberations, recommended the approval of the AIFF’s proposed calendar, outlining the timelines for various competitions. The issue of teams withdrawing last minute from Group Stages in different NFCs also took centre stage in the discussions.
To address this concern, the Committee proposed a stringent measure: Member Associations withdrawing their teams post-confirmation would face a one-year suspension from the tournament and be liable to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh. This decision aims to instil discipline and commitment within the participating teams, ensuring the smooth progression of AIFF competitions.
