2022–23 Indian Women's League Explained

Competition:Hero Indian Women's League
Season:2022–23
Dates:26 April – 21 May 2023
Winners:Gokulam Kerala
3rd IWL title
3rd Indian title
Continentalcup1:AFC Women's Club Championship
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Gokulam Kerala
Matches:63
Total Goals:262
Best Player: Indumathi Kathiresan
League Topscorer: Sabitra Bhandari (29 goals)
Best Goalkeeper: Maibam Linthoingambi Devi
Highest Scoring:Gokulam Kerala 14–1 Kahaani
Longest Wins:Sethu (5 matches)
Longest Unbeaten:Gokulam Kerala (10 matches)
Longest Winless:Kahaani
Mata Rukmani Girls (7 matches)
Longest Losses:Kahaani
Mata Rukmani Girls
Lords FA (6 matches)
Prevseason:2021–22
Nextseason:2023–24

The 2022–23 Indian Women's League (also known as Hero Indian Women's League for sponsorship reasons) was the sixth season of the Indian Women's League, the top division women's professional football league in India.[1] [2] [3] On 21 May, Gokulam Kerala successfully defended their title by winning the final against Kickstart, and became the first club to complete a hat-trick of Indian Women's League titles.[4] [5]

Format

The draw took place on 30 March 2023 at Football House, Dwarka, New Delhi.[6] Speaking at the draw, Shaji Prabhakaran, the All India Football Federation Secretary General, said "My best wishes to all the 16 teams ... all efforts have been made to create a holistic situation for the development and rapid growth of Indian women's football."[7] [8]

Sixteen teams will participate in the league. The final round will consist of the group format with eight teams participating in each group. The top four teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage.[9] [10] The top eight teams of the season will receive direct slots for the next season of IWL.[11]

Broadcasting

On 25 April, 2023 All India Football Federation announced that the evening matches of Indian Women's League will be streamed live on Indian Football YouTube channel.[12]

Qualification

State women's leagues organised by various state federations acted as qualifier for this season. The champions of the twelve state leagues have been awarded a place in the final round along with the clubs which finished in the top four positions in the 2021–22 season.[13] The slot for the state league whose current champions also qualified via top four qualification, went to the runner-up of the league.

ClubState/RegionQualification
2021–22 Indian Women's League
Gokulam KeralaKeralaChampions
SethuTamil NaduRunners-up
KickstartKarnatakaThird place
Sports OdishaOdishaFourth place
2022–23 Indian Women's State leagues
Celtic QueensPuducherry2022–23 Pondicherry Women's League champions
CRPFPunjab2022–23 Punjab Women's League champions
Churchill BrothersGoa2022–23 Goa Women's League champions
East BengalWest Bengal2022–23 Calcutta Women's Football League champions
Eastern Sporting UnionManipur2022–23 Manipur Women's League champions
HOPSDelhi2022–23 FD Women's League champions
KahaaniGujarat2022–23 Gujarat State Women's League champions
Lords FAKerala2022–23 Kerala Women's League champions
Mata Rukmani GirlsChhattisgarh2022–23 Chhattisgarh State Women's Football League champions
Misaka UnitedKarnataka2022–23 Karnataka Women's League runner-up
Mumbai KnightsMaharashtra2022–23 WIFA Women's Football League champions
OdishaOdisha2022–23 Odisha Women's League champions

Teams

Stadiums and locations

The matches will be played at two venues located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat; Transstadia and Shahbaug Police Stadium.[14]

ClubCityState/Region
Celtic QueensPondicherryPuducherry
Churchill BrothersVasco da GamaGoa
CRPFJalandharPunjab
East BengalKolkataWest Bengal
Eastern Sporting UnionImphalManipur
Gokulam KeralaKozhikodeKerala
HOPSNew DelhiDelhi
KahaaniAhmedabadGujarat
KickstartBengaluruKarnataka
Lords FAKochiKerala
Mata RukmaniBastarChhattisgarh
BengaluruKarnataka
MumbaiMaharastra
OdishaBhubaneswarOdisha
SethuMaduraiTamil Nadu
Sports OdishaBhubaneswarOdisha

Personnel and sponsorships

scope=colTeamscope=colHead coachscope=colCaptainscope=colKit manufacturerscope=colShirt sponsor
Celtic Queens Nitesh Sharma Sujata Shetty
Churchill Brothers Girijadevi Desai Laura Estibeiro
CRPF Uttam Singh Negi Binita Kerketta
East Bengal Sujata Kar Ratna HalderTrak OnlyEmami
Eastern Sporting Union Lourembam Ronibala Chanu Irom Prameshwori DeviKarkinos Healthcare
Gokulam Kerala Anthony Andrews Grace DangmeiSEGACSB Bank
HOPS Sanjay Singh Renu RaniRoseateDharam Foundation
Kahaani Lalita Saini Maya RabariSameeksha Capital
Kickstart Langam Chaoba Devi Dalima ChhibberHaier
Lords FA Nirvan Jagdish Shah Bhagyashree DalviICCS College of Engg and Mgmt, Joy E Bike
Mata Rukmani Shantanu Ghosh Nilima KhakhaCOSCO
Misaka United Anup Theres Raj Tarini KumarHummelMFAR Constructions, Five Morsels Press
Mumbai Knights Rutuja Gunwant Valencia Lourdina D'mello
Odisha Crispin Chettri Bala DeviTrak OnlyOdisha Tourism
Sethu Joseph Naik Naorem Priyangka DeviCOSCO
Sports Odisha Paromita Sit Mamata PatraNivia SportsOdisha Tourism

Foreign players

AIFF allowed maximum of three foreign players per team but only two can be part of starting 11.

ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3
Celtic Queens Mercy Amorkor Tagoe Idah Atieno Odhiambo
Churchill Brothers
CRPF
East Bengal
Eastern Sporting Union
Gokulam Kerala Sabitra Bhandari Vivian Adjei Beatrice Ntiwaa Nketia
HOPS
Kahaani
Kickstart Saru Limbu Renuka Nagarkote Kioko Elizabeth Katungwa
Lords FA Camille Rodriguez Anita Basnet
Mata Rukmani
Misaka United Nurul Azurin Mazlan Lucy Kwekwe Jira Sonia Opoku
Mumbai Knights Alexandra Marie Eccard
Odisha Cynthia Santos Faustina Worwornyo Akpo
Sethu Anjila Tumbapo Subba Dorcas Sikobe Ivy Faith Atieno
Sports Odisha Rekha Poudel

Group stage

Group A

Matches

Group B

Matches

Knockout stage

Bracket

Final

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Sabitra BhandariGokulam Kerala29
2 Kajol D'SouzaSethu10
3 Indumathi KathiresanGokulam Kerala9
Sandhiya RanganathanGokulam Kerala
5 Camille RodriguezLords FA8
6 Kioko Elizabeth KatungwaKickstart7
Saru LimbuKickstart
Apurna NarzarySethu
9 Laishram Bibicha DeviKickstart6
Bala DeviOdisha
Source: The AIFF

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDate
Sabitra BhandariGokulam KeralaEast Bengal2–8 (A)
Camille RodriguezLords FACeltic Queens4–0 (H)
Kajol D'SouzaSethuChurchill Brothers6–0 (A)
Sabitra BhandariGokulam KeralaSports Odisha8–1 (H)
Kaviya PakkirisamyKickstartChurchill Brothers10–0 (H)
Sandhiya RanganathanGokulam KeralaKahaani14–1 (H)
Sabitra BhandariGokulam KeralaKahaani14–1 (H)
Sabitra BhandariGokulam KeralaMata Rukmani9–0 (A)
Sabitra BhandariGokulam KeralaMumbai Knights11–1 (H)
Apurna NarzarySethuEast Bengal9–0 (H)
Notes

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean sheets
1 Maibam Linthoingambi DeviKickstart6
Anjila Tumbapo SubbaSethu
3 Nurul Azurin MazlanMisaka United5
4 Shreya HoodaOdisha4
5 Elangbam Panthoi ChanuEastern Sporting Union3
Beatrice Ntiwaa NketiaGokulam Kerala
AnshikaHOPS

Awards

Match awards

Season awards

AwardWinner
Hero of the League Indumathi Kathiresan (Gokulam Kerala)
Top Goalscorer Sabitra Bhandari (Gokulam Kerala)
Best Goalkeeper Maibam Linthoingambi Devi (Kickstart)
Best Defender K. Ngopawdi (Sethu)
Emerging Player of the League Astam Oraon (Kickstart)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Indian Women's League 2023 Schedule. ESPN. 24 April 2023 . 17 April 2023.
  2. Web site: Indian Women's League 2023: Meet the 16 teams . ESPN. 24 April 2023 . 24 April 2023.
  3. Web site: Calendar: HERO IWL 2022-23. All India Football Federation. 22 April 2023.
  4. News: Gokulam Kerala steamroll Kickstart to complete hat-trick of Hero IWL titles. 21 May 2023 . the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. 21 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230522160849/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/gokulam-kerala-steamroll-kickstart-to-complete-hat-trick-of-hero-iwl-titles. 22 May 2023.
  5. News: Indian Women's League 2023: Gokulam Kerala thrash Kickstart FC 5–0 to win third consecutive title. sportstar.thehindu.com. Sportstar. 21 May 2023. 22 May 2023. Chennai. https://web.archive.org/web/20230522151217/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/gokulam-kerala-wins-indian-womens-league-gkfc-5-0-kickstart-fc-sabitra-bhandari-top-scorer-iwl-records-milestones-stats/article66878249.ece. 22 May 2023.
  6. News: IWL 2022-23: 16 teams divided into two groups; opening match on April 25 . 24 April 2023 . The Statesman . 31 March 2023.
  7. News: Indian Women's League to begin from April 25: All India Football Federation . 24 April 2023 . The Sentinel . 31 March 2023 . en.
  8. Web site: IWL: Tough battle awaits for debutants Churchill Brothers . . 24 April 2023 . 24 April 2023 . 24 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230424053654/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/iwl-tough-battle-awaits-debutants-churchill-bros/articleshow/99714198.cms . live .
  9. Web site: IWL groupings announced; Gokulam Kerala, East Bengal in Group A. Sportstar. 30 March 2023 . 30 March 2023. 30 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230330192143/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-womens-league-draw-groupings-gokulam-kerala-east-bengal/article66679059.ece. live.
  10. Web site: Groupings from upcoming Indian Women's League announced. The Print. 30 March 2023 . 31 March 2023.
  11. Web site: AIFF League Committee Meeting, March 27: IWL 2022-23 date, format & foreign quota announced. The Away End. 28 March 2023 . 28 March 2023.
  12. News: IWL 2023 LIVE Streaming: Indian Football Team YouTube channel to stream Indian Women's League, FanCode PULL out – Check out. 26 April 2023 . insidesport/in.
  13. Web site: AIFF League Committee Meeting: Format for IWL 2022-23 & I-League 2 announced. The Away End. 17 December 2022 . 17 December 2022.
  14. IndianFootball . 1649655190113636352 . April 21, 2023 . Here are the group stage fixtures for the Hero IWL season.