The Federation Cup is an annual knockout style club football tournament in India that started in 1977. From its inception, until I-League was started in 1997 (then called NFL), it was the most prestigious national level club football tournament in India. Presently it is the most important club tournament after the I-League, to which it has become a de facto League Cup. The winning club of the Federation Cup gets a chance to compete in the continental level in AFC Cup.
