Dempo SC to face ARA FC, Ambernath United, FC Goa and Hyderabad FC in Zonal Qualifiers of I-League 2

Ravish Narvekar

The third-tier league of the country is most likely to start from the next month.

Dempo Sports Club has been placed in Group D along with runners-up of Gujatat SFA Club Championship, ARA FC and MFA Elite Division champions, Ambernath United along with two Indian Super League reverse sides, FC Goa and Hyderabad FC in the Group stage of the I-League 2 2022-23.

19 clubs are split into four zones (groups) to minimise travel. The Zonal Qualifying round will be played on a home-and-away basis where the winner of each zone along with one best second-placed club will play in the final round of the third-tier league.

The Final Round will be played on a single-leg basis. The champions and runners-up of the Final Round will qualify for next year's I-League. Whereas, the two relegated I-League teams and the other 3 final phase teams will directly qualify for the I-league 2 final phase next season.

Seven champions, one runners-up, two third-placed teams and one semifinalist of the state leagues, along with six reserve teams from ISL, are given a direct spot in the Group stage. Meanwhile, two clubs have made it to the group stage after playing the Qualifier round.

In the other Zonal groups, Techtro Swades United (Champions of Himachal Football League), Delhi FC (Champions of FD Senior Division), Jagat Singh Palahi (Third-placed in Punjab State Super Football League), Mumbai City FC (R) and Downtown Heroes (Runners -up of Qualifier Round) are placed in Group A, while BLG-The Dimond Rock FC (Third -placed in Madhya Pradesh Premier League), Shillong Lajong (Winners of Qualifier Round), East Bengal (R) and United Sports Club (semifinalist of Calcutta Premier Division) makes the Group B.

Meanwhile, Group C consist of RKM Football Academy (Champions of Chhattisgarh State Men's Football League Championship) FC Bengaluru United (Champions of Bangalore Super Division), Golden Thread FC (Champions of Kerala Premier League) and reserve sides of Chennaiyin FC and Bengaluru FC.