The coverage of the 2022/23 season of the second-tier football competition of India, I-League, will be available on two separate television networks, Eurosport and Doordarshan Sports. Moreover, the I-League will be streamed live on Discovery+.
During a press conference in New Delhi on November 4, 2022, AIFF Secretary General Dr Shaji Prabhakaran declared these two entities as broadcasters for the upcoming Hero I-League season. Along with this, the Hero I-League will also restore to a home-and-away format with fans in the stands after two seasons in the bio bubble, which will be a fascinating prospect for the tournament.
Dr Prabhakaran, said, “The Hero I-League is getting to a better situation, and we would like to thank our marketing partners FSDL (Football Sports Development Limited) and others who have made this decision encouraging in terms of broadcasting and production quality. The fact that we will have the Hero I-League on two channels and Discovery+ is an encouraging sign for Indian Football and for the clubs, who will be getting better visibility.”
The new I-League season will kick off on November 12 in Malappuram, Kerala, with Gokulam Kerala taking on Mohammedan SC.
The league was played entirely within the bio bubble for the previous two editions. During this time, all games took place in Kolkata, Kalyani, and Naihati. With the Covid restrictions lifted, the I-League will again be a pan-India tournament, with 12 teams scheduled to play in up to 13 stadiums across the country.
AIFF Deputy Secretary General Mr Sunando Dhar said, “In a professional setup, you look forward to clubs hosting their matches and making an impact on their local communities. Real Kashmir is a fantastic example of that. Sreenidi Deccan are investing in a new stadium and better infrastructure.”