Calcutta Premier Division: New format & more teams

The Indian Football Association (West Bengal) has released the new format for the 2012/13 season of the Calcutta Premier Division which will see 19 teams in action, two more thAn last season and they have been divided into two groups - Group A with 10 teams and Group B with nine teams. The league is set to kick-off in August.The IFA has decided to split the Kolkata big four – East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Prayag United and Mohammedan Sporting – into the two groups.

All teams in both groups play each other twice before five teams from Group A and four from Group B qualify for the championship round in which again all teams will face each other once, while the other 10 teams play the relegation as a round robin league with the bottom team relegated. The points from the preliminary round are not carried forward though cards will be carried forward.In a step backwards, the IFA has decided to abolish the rule of having to fielding one Under-19 footballer by each team in the Calcutta Premier Division. As a replacement the IFA is creating an Under-19 League for Calcutta Premier Division teams, which will make it mandatory for all participating sides to have such an U-19 team with players only registered with the club as they no longer will be allowed to take players on loan.

The GROUPS

Group A East Bengal Club, Prayag United SC, Techno Aryan Club, Army XI, Kalighat Milan Sangha, Railway FC, BNR, George Telegraph SC, Eastern Railway SC, Peerless SC

Group B Mohun Bagan AC, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Bhawanipore Club, Calcutta Port Trust, Tollygunge Agragami, Police AC, Southern Samity, West Bengal Police, Kalighat Club