The format for the Kalinga Super Cup has now been confirmed by the AIFF, which will take place alongside the AFC Asian Cup 2023. The Indian national team players will not be able to participate in the competition owing to their commitments in Qatar, but the tournament will allow more foreigners to be named as a result.
The winner of the tournament will earn a spot to potentially qualify for the 2024/25 AFC Champions League. Last season, it was held as an end-of-season tournament which led to the clubs not taking it as seriously. The new implications from the AIFF have been made with the hope that it will be contested strongly this time around, since the ISL will not have an AFC Champions League spot from next season.
Kalinga Super Cup 2024 format, schedule, venue and teams confirmed
Venue: Odisha – Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar and Capital Football Arena/OFA Ground
Draw Date: 18 December 2023
Match Schedule: 9 to 28 January 2024 – First two days will be for the playoffs between I-League teams to determine who enters the final tournament.
Participating Clubs: All 12 ISL Clubs + 4 I-League Clubs
Format: Four groups of four teams each, with the group winners qualifying for the semifinals.
New Foreigner Rules: Teams allowed to include up to six foreigners in the matchday squad, and play six at any time too. But one of them must be from Asia, if there are more than five foreigners.
