AIFF introduces new 8-a-side format for Sub Junior National Championships

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced a new competition format for the Sub Junior Boys’ and Girls’ National Football Championships for the 2026-27 season. The changes aim to align grassroots pathways with global standards and enhance player development.

Modeled after FIFA U15 World Cup guidelines, the new structure will feature 8-a-side matches played in two 20-minute halves. The matches will take place on a 68-metre by 50-metre pitch, with an offside line marked at 23 metres. The format also introduces unlimited rolling substitutions, which can be made from the halfway line, though goalkeeper changes must occur during a stoppage in play.

Regarding squad management, teams can register up to 50 players in the AIFF Competition Management System, from which a final list of 12 to 16 players must be submitted at least five days before their group's first match. The tournament schedule will include consecutive match days followed by a mandatory one-day rest period before the knockout stages.