Goa Professional League

The Goa Professional League (abbreviated as GPL, also known as the Selvel Goa Pro League for sponsorship reasons) is the premier state-level football league in Goa, India. It is organised by the Goa Football Association.[3] Dempo is the most successful club in the tournament, with fifteen titles.[4]

Goa Professional League
Organising bodyGoa Football Association
Founded1951–77 (as Goa First Division)[1]
1977–97 (as Goa Super Division)
CountryIndia
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid4
Promotion toI-League 2
Relegation toGFA 1st Division
League cup(s)Goa Police Cup
AWES Cup
Charity Cup
Current championsDempo (15th title)
Most championshipsSalgaocar (21 titles)[2]
TV partnersFanCode (live streaming)
Current: 2022–23

History

The official league in Goa, called the First division, began in 1951 and was organised by the Conselho de Desportos. The first Llague champion of Goa was Clube Desportivo de Chinchinim who beat Football Club of Siolim, to clinch the title.

League continued under the aegis of the Conselho de Desportos until the season of 1958–59, with Clube de Desportos de Vasco da Gama taking the title that year. In 1959, the Goa Football Association was established as the official administrative body of football and from that season onwards the league was conducted by GFA. The 1959–60 League was conducted by the GFA and Clube Independente de Margao emerged champions.

Until the 1968–69 season, the First division league was considered as senior. The GFA introduced "Senior division league" in 1969–70, which used to be the topmost division, but later was abandoned.

In 1970–71 season, apart from the Senior division league, there came into existence the First division league, which was split into two groups, namely the North Zone and South Zone. While the North Zone consisted of teams from Ilhas and Bardez, the South Zone accommodated teams from Mormugao and Salcete.

From the around 24 teams in the Second division, just one would make it to the First division, while there were around 60 teams battling it out in the Third division, of which two teams make it to the next stage. Subsequently, the teams finishing at the bottom of their respective pool are relegated to lower divisions.

In 1977 Goa Football Association introduced the Super league, with Salgaocar Sports Club clinching the title. With football continuing to develop at a fast pace, GFA decided it was time to push the game onto a higher platform. Goa emerged as the first State ever in the country, to go fully professional with the game.

The first Professional league was launched in the 1998–99 season. The five top teams of the 1997–98 Super League – Churchill Brothers, Salgaocar, Dempo, Vasco and VLM SC – automatically qualified for the Pro league.

The Professional league was expanded to six teams from the 2000–2001 season, after the GFA increased the participating number and competitiveness factor. Since 2002 the league was played as an eight-team format with home-and-away fixtures, making it 14 matches for each club. The GFA then announced that the 2011 season would be played with 10 teams under a new format.

Competition structure
Tier Division
1
(4 on Indian football pyramid)		 Goa Professional League
2
(5 on Indian football pyramid)		 GFA First Division League
3
(6 on Indian football pyramid)		 GFA Second Division League

Current clubs

The following 11 clubs are competing in the GPL during the 2022–23 season.[5]

Team City/Town
Calangute AssociationCalangute
Churchill BrothersSalcete
DempoPanaji
FC Goa ReservesPanaji
Guardian Angel F.C.Curchorem
Panjim FootballersPanaji
SalgaocarVasco da Gama
SESA Football AcademySircaim
Sporting Clube de GoaPanaji
VascoVasco da Gama
Velsao Sports & Cultural ClubVelsao

List of champions
SeasonChampion
1998Salgaocar
1999Churchill Brothers
2000Churchill Brothers
2001Churchill Brothers
2002Salgaocar
2003Salgaocar
2004Salgaocar
2005Dempo
2006Sporting Goa
2007Dempo
2008Churchill Brothers
2009Dempo
2010Dempo
2011Dempo
2012–13Salgaocar
2013–14Sporting Goa[6]
2014–15Salgaocar
2015–16Sporting Goa
2016–17Salgaocar
2017–18Sporting Goa
2018–19FC Goa Reserves
2019–20Sporting Goa and Churchill Brothers
2020–21Sporting Goa
2021–22Dempo
2022–23Ongoing

For past winners at this level before 1997, see: List of Goan State Football Champions.

Top scorers
Season Top scorer Club Goals
2011 Nigeria Koko Sakibo
India Victorino Fernandes		 Dempo S.C.
Sporting Clube de Goa		 6
2012–13 Spain Juanfri Sporting Clube de Goa 3
2013–14 India Melwin Fernandes Wilred Leisure 13
2014–15 India Victorino Fernandes Sporting Clube de Goa 11
2015–16 Nigeria Odafa Okolie Sporting Clube de Goa 11
2016–17 India Liston Colaco Salgaocar F.C. 13
2017–18

Nigeria Joel Sunday

 Salgaocar F.C. 20
2018–19 India Devendra Murgaonkar Salgaocar F.C. 20
2019–20 India Marcus Masceranhas Sporting Clube de Goa 14
2020–21 India Marcus Masceranhas Sporting Clube de Goa 9

See also

References
  1. Arunava Chaudhuri. "List of Champions of the Goa Football League (Goa Pro League)". indianfootball.de. Indian Football Network. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  2. "Salgaocar crowned 2016/17 Goa Pro League champions". The Home of Indian Football Live. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  3. Football in Goa: Sport, Politics and the Portuguese in India (pages 75-88) Taylor and Francis. Author: James Mills. Publication date: 14 September 2010 (online published) Retrieved 20 July 2021
  4. "Dempo Sports Club – Trophies (page 1)". demposportsclub.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. — "Dempo Sports Club – Trophies (page 2)". demposportsclub.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2023.
  5. "Goa Pro League". The Away End. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  6. "Sporting Clube de Goa Champions of Airtel Goa Professional League 2013/14". sportingclubedegoa.wordpress.com. Sporting Clube de Goa. Archived from the original on 18 December 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
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