Indian football, IWL: All you need to know about Indian Women's League 2023 edition

As the domestic season winds down on men’s football, the Indian Women’s League is set to begin on April 26 in Ahmedabad.

The sixth edition of the women’s top-flight league will feature 16 teams – including a number of debutantes – during the course of the competition that will last a little over a month.

Here’s a look at all you need to know about the coming season:

What has changed this season?

The 2023 season begins days after the All India Football Federation made a host of announcements pertaining to women’s football in India. Chief among those is the inclusion of a minimum wage for footballers.

The AIFF announced that the top eight teams in the IWL for the 2023-24 season will need to have at least 10 Indian players on a fully professional annual contract worth a minimum of Rs 3.2 lakhs.

However, with a prize money of Rs 10 lakhs and no revenue from broadcasting, clubs aren’t completely on board with the AIFF’s decision as was echoed by Odisha FC owner Rohan Sharma.

“There is no sponsorship, the telecast is poor. The Rs 10 lakh cash prize money (for winning the league) is so low that it doesn’t even offset the expenditure. Next year we have to take a stand on whether...

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