Indian Super Cup (1997–2011)

Indian Super Cup

Founded	1997; 27 years ago (1997)
Abolished	2011; 13 years ago (2011)
Region	India
Number of teams	2
Last champions	East Bengal (3rd title)
Most successful club(s)	East Bengal (3 titles)
2011 (last held)

The Indian Super Cup was Indian football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous National Football League or I-League season and the holders of the Federation Cup, usually held at a neutral venue. If the League champions also won the Federation Cup then the league runners-up would provide the opposition. The fixture was usually considered the curtain raiser to the Indian football domestic season.

The fixture was last contested in 2011 when East Bengal won the cup for the third time, defeating Salgaocar 9–8 on penalties.

The Indian Super Cup was started in 1997 by the All India Football Federation as a playoff between the then National Football League champions and Federation Cup holders.^[1] The first edition took place that year between the 1996–97 NFL (first season in league history) champions JCT Mills and 1996 Federation Cup holders East Bengal. After the match ended 0–0, East Bengal won the first Super Cup on penalties 4–2.^[2] Salgaocar proceeded to win the next two editions of the Super Cup before the tournament was suspended for three seasons.^[1] When the cup returned in 2003 Mahindra United defeated East Bengal on penalties 4–3 after drawing them 1–1.^[1] The cup was then held seven more times before being suspended and hasn't been played since the 2011 fixture.^[1]

• The most successful side in the Indian Super Cup is East Bengal. The club have won the annual fixture three times.
• The biggest victory in the Super Cup was during the 2007 fixture when Mohun Bagan defeated Dempo 4–0 at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium.
• Salgaocar have won the cup consecutively the most times (2) in 1998 and 1999.
• Sporting Goa are the only side to have won the Super Cup, without winning the league or Federation Cup.

Football in India