33 teams, no relegation, 198 matches: Mumbai football's Elite Division raises eyebrows

MUMBAI: Mumbai’s top-flight football league is set to enter a season of unprecedented proportions, and not necessarily for the right reasons.The Mumbai Football Association’s (MFA) Elite Division, which kicks off on Oct 15, will feature 33 teams, a number virtually unheard of for a top division. What’s more, there will be no relegation for three years. At the end of that period, the division could have as many as 39 teams.The bloated league is the result of the MFA’s decision to merge its Private and Corporate leagues. The Corporate league had complained of being treated as a second-class competition, with poor scheduling and matches often confined to barely three months, making it difficult for companies such as Western Railway and Indian Navy to commit teams. Rather than address those concerns, the MFA opted for a merger.The 33 teams will be split into three groups of 11, with the top four from each advancing to a playoff stage comprising two groups of six. The top four will then enter the semifinals and final. In all, 198 matches will need to be staged.But venues and scheduling pose another concern. While the MFA is fighting to retain the Neville D’Souza ground, it has secured Cooperage for matches. At time slots of 10 am and 12 noon! When Mumbai’s heat and humidity are at their peak. AFC A-licensed coach Raj Shekar told TOI: “We must consider Mumbai’s heat and humidity and whether this is sustainable for players, clubs and spectators if we want to make the league popular.”Shekar also questioned the 51.5% increase in the entry fee, saying it had, to his understanding, neither been approved by the president nor placed before the executive committee.Ex-India captain Godfrey Pereira was blunt: “It’s an absolute mess and definitely not something that should happen. How will it help grow the sport? Without relegation, what’s there to fight? The quality will deteriorate.”Sudhakar Rane, MFA secretary, told TOI that it’s the best they could do. “Teams in the corporate league were complaining, so we thought that this was the best solution. About the ground, these slots were the only ones available so there’s nothing we can do about it.”Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.