# 2025 CFL Premier Division
The 2025 CFL Premier Division was the 2025 season of the Premier Division of the Calcutta Football League (CFL), the top state-level football competition of [West Bengal](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-bengal), India, organized by the Indian Football Association (IFA) and played as a two-phase competition with a group stage followed by a Super Six round.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Competition | Calcutta Football League Premier Division 2025, run by the Indian Football Association (IFA)[1](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html) |
| Structure | First phase split into Group A and Group B, followed by a Super Six stage[1](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html) |
| New rule | IFA introduced a 'Son of Soil' (Bhumiputra) player rule for the Premier Division in May 2025[2](https://infoexchange.live/uploads/2/2025-05/indian_info_exchange_1705_25.pdf) |
| Kolkata Derby | East Bengal beat Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3-2 at Kalyani Stadium on 26 July 2025[3](https://www.daijiworld.com/index.php/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1287459) |
| Notable upset | Calcutta Customs beat Mohun Bagan Super Giant 1-0 on 27 August 2025[1](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html) |
| Squad policy | East Bengal and Mohun Bagan fielded developmental squads in the competition[4](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/august/delhi-english-edition-2025-08-17.pdf) |
## Organization and rules
The IFA administered the season and set its competition arrangements in mid-2025. In May 2025 the association introduced the 'Son of Soil' rule for the CFL Premier Division, a decision reported alongside other eligibility and tournament-arrangement changes for the 2025 edition[2](https://infoexchange.live/uploads/2/2025-05/indian_info_exchange_1705_25.pdf).
The season was structured in phases. Fixtures were organized into a [Group A](https://www.edgepedia.org/group-a) and a second group in the first stage, with a Super Six round following the group play[1](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html). Matches were staged at venues in and around Kolkata, including the Naihati Bankimanjali Stadium, the Kalyani Stadium, the Barrackpore ground, and grounds at Uluberia, Chinsurah, and Kalyani B[1](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html) • [5](https://emamieastbengal.com/cfl2025match1preview/).
**Group A play.** East Bengal opened its campaign on 26 June 2025 with a Group A match against Measurers Club at the Naihati Bankimanjali Stadium, kicking off at 3 PM[5](https://emamieastbengal.com/cfl2025match1preview/). Group A fixtures through August and September 2025 included East Bengal wins such as 6-0 over Behala SS Sporting Club (29 July) and 4-0 over George Telegraph SC (26 August), and a 3-0 Railway FC win by East Bengal on 12 August with two goals from Sayan Banerjee[1](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html).
## The Kolkata Derby
The season's first Kolkata Derby between East Bengal FC and [Mohun Bagan Super Giant](https://www.edgepedia.org/mohun-bagan-super-giant) was played at the Kalyani Stadium on Saturday 26 July 2025, with East Bengal winning 3-2[3](https://www.daijiworld.com/index.php/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1287459). Jesin TK opened the scoring in the 9th minute, Sayan Banerjee added a second in first-half added time, and David Lalhansanga scored the winner with a 69th-minute header; Mohun Bagan's goals came from Leewan Castanha (53rd minute) and Kiyan Nasiri (67th minute), the latter equalizing before Lalhansanga's decisive goal[1](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html) • [6](https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/football/east-bengal-vs-mohun-bagan-match-report-calcutta-football-league-2025-kolkata-derby).
Both clubs used the state league to give playing time to squad and developmental players. The Daily Pioneer noted that East Bengal claimed derby bragging rights in the 3-2 CFL win with their developmental squads, and that Mohun Bagan have traditionally dominated the derby at the top level[4](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/august/delhi-english-edition-2025-08-17.pdf). East Bengal had also beaten Mohun Bagan in the derby in the previous year's CFL[7](https://bangla.asianetnews.com/sports/football/calcutta-football-league-2025-kolkata-derby-east-bengal-beat-mohun-bagan-anbsg/articleshow-al2gech).
## Notable results
**Upsets of the big clubs.** The group stage produced results in which the traditional giants lost to smaller sides. Police AC defeated Mohun Bagan Super Giant 1-0 at the Naihati Stadium, a result highlighted as one of the tournament's upsets[8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oiSnHPNjX8). On 27 August 2025, Calcutta Customs Club beat Mohun Bagan 1-0 through a 90'+7' goal by Rounak Paul[1](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html). East Bengal also dropped points early, losing 0-2 to Police AC on 3 August with goals from Md Amil Naim (penalty) and Mrinmoy Mahapatra[1](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html).
**Walkover.** Mohun Bagan failed to appear for a scheduled 13 August 2025 Group A match against Measurers Club at Naihati; after a 30-minute wait the match was recorded as a walkover, with the IFA to decide its official fate[1](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html).
**Group A standings race.** East Bengal finished the group stage at the top of Group A and entered the Super Six round in first place[9](https://bangla.asianetnews.com/sports/football/calcutta-football-league-2025-east-bengal-fc-remain-group-a-top-anbsg/articleshow-u43mpmf).
## Context within Indian football
The CFL Premier Division occupies a distinctive place in Indian football as a state-level competition featuring clubs with national followings. East Bengal is described in Bengali sports coverage as the most successful club in the history of the Calcutta Football League[9](https://bangla.asianetnews.com/sports/football/calcutta-football-league-2025-east-bengal-fc-remain-group-a-top-anbsg/articleshow-u43mpmf). Because the [Indian Super League](https://www.edgepedia.org/indian-super-league) and the national league calendar run on separate schedules, the CFL in 2025 again served as a mid-year competition in which the Kolkata giants' reserve and developmental players faced state-level opposition[4](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/august/delhi-english-edition-2025-08-17.pdf).
## References
1. [IFA CFL Premier League 2025 fixtures and results, Group A, kolkatafootball.com](https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_premier_league_2025/premier_result_group1.html)
2. [IFA introduces 'Son of Soil' rule in CFL Premier Division, 8 Sports Info (May 2025)](https://infoexchange.live/uploads/2/2025-05/indian_info_exchange_1705_25.pdf)
3. [East Bengal edge Mohun Bagan 3-2 in thrilling Kolkata Derby, Daijiworld](https://www.daijiworld.com/index.php/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1287459)
4. [Daily Pioneer, Delhi edition, 17 August 2025](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2025/epaper/august/delhi-english-edition-2025-08-17.pdf)
5. [Emami East Bengal FC CFL 2025 match preview, 26 June 2025](https://emamieastbengal.com/cfl2025match1preview/)
6. [East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan, CFL 2025 match report, Outlook India](https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/football/east-bengal-vs-mohun-bagan-match-report-calcutta-football-league-2025-kolkata-derby)
7. [Kolkata Derby result, Calcutta Football League 2025, Asianet News Bangla](https://bangla.asianetnews.com/sports/football/calcutta-football-league-2025-kolkata-derby-east-bengal-beat-mohun-bagan-anbsg/articleshow-al2gech)
8. [Mohun Bagan 0-1 Police AC, CFL 2025 highlights, Xtra Time Bangla, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oiSnHPNjX8)
9. [East Bengal remain Group A top and enter CFL Super Six, Asianet News Bangla](https://bangla.asianetnews.com/sports/football/calcutta-football-league-2025-east-bengal-fc-remain-group-a-top-anbsg/articleshow-u43mpmf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Seasons and editions › Domestic league season editions › Asian and Oceanian league seasons*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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