Lucknow to have UP's 3rd pro football set up at Ekana

It's official now that the state capital is going to have Uttar Pradesh's third professional football set up after Inter Kashi in Varanasi and Ghaziabad Football Club at Ghaziabad as the Lucknow Falcons Football Club has begun the process to play in the qualifiers of the third division professional league known as I-League 3 of the All India Football Federation.

- Sharad Deep

LUCKNOW:

In fact, the I-League 3, a platform for state champions and nominated teams to compete, is acting as a qualifier for the I-League 2. It's the fourth tier in the Indian football league system. This league was introduced by the AIFF in 2023 to act as qualifiers for the I-League 2.

It comprises 25 clubs nominated by member associations based on their state league performances. The 25 teams are divided into five groups of five each. The top teams in the I-League 3 qualify for the I-League 2, which is the third tier of the Indian football pyramid, and the I-League 2 has relegation to the I-League 3.

The Lucknow Falcons Football Club is owned by the Ekana Sportz City and is being headed by its managing director Udai Sinah, who promises to take up the LFFC to new heights in Uttar Pradesh as well as in India.