# 2016–17 in Indian football

The 2016–17 season is the 129th competitive association football season in India.

## Promotion and relegation

| League | Promoted to | Relegated from |
| Indian Super League | No promotion/relegation | No promotion/relegation |
| I-League | Dempo | |
| I-League 2nd Division | Based on invitation | Based on invitation |
* ↑ Dempo were promoted but withdrew from 2016–17 I-League

## Indian Super League

Atlético de Kolkata won the title second time after defeating the Kerala Blasters in a penalty shootout, 4–3, during the final. The match had ended 1–1 after ninety minutes and extra time.
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Mumbai City | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 8 | +8 | 23 | Advance to ISL Play-offs |
| 2 | Kerala Blasters | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 22 | Advance to ISL Play-offs |
| 3 | Delhi Dynamos | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 27 | 17 | +10 | 21 | Advance to ISL Play-offs |
| 4 | Atlético de Kolkata (C) | 14 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 14 | +2 | 20 | Advance to ISL Play-offs |
| 5 | NorthEast United | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 18 | |
| 6 | Pune City | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 16 | −3 | 16 | |
| 7 | Chennaiyin | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 25 | −5 | 15 | |
| 8 | Goa | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 25 | −10 | 14 | |

### Finals

| Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Mumbai City | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | |
| 4 | Atlético de Kolkata | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | |
| 4 | Atlético de Kolkata | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | Atlético de Kolkata | 1 (4) |
| | | | | | 2 | Kerala Blasters | 1 (3) |
| 2 | Kerala Blasters | 1 | 1 | 2 (3) | 2 | Kerala Blasters | 1 (3) |
| 3 | Delhi Dynamos | 0 | 2 | 2 (0) | | | |

## I-League

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Aizawl (C) | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 14 | +10 | 37 | Qualification to Champions League qualifier |
| 2 | Mohun Bagan | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 27 | 12 | +15 | 36 | |
| 3 | East Bengal | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 33 | 15 | +18 | 33 | |
| 4 | Bengaluru | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 15 | +15 | 30 | Qualification to AFC Cup qualifying play-off |
| 5 | Shillong Lajong | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 24 | 23 | +1 | 26 | |
| 6 | Churchill Brothers | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 26 | −2 | 20 | |
| 7 | DSK Shivajians | 18 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 30 | −8 | 18 | |
| 8 | Chennai City | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 29 | −14 | 17 | |
| 9 | Minerva Punjab | 18 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 33 | −16 | 13 | |
| 10 | Mumbai (R) | 18 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 28 | −19 | 13 | Relegation to I-League 2nd Division |
* ↑ Bengaluru qualified for the 2018 AFC Cup by winning the 2016–17 Federation Cup.
* 1 2 Minerva Punjab ahead of Mumbai on head-to-head record; Minerva Punjab–Mumbai 2–1, Mumbai–Minerva Punjab 0–0

### Head coaching changes

| Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming coach | Date of appointment |
| Indian Super League |||||||
| Mumbai City | Nicolas Anelka | Contract finished | 20 December 2015 | Pre-season | Alexandre Guimarães | 19 April 2016 |
| Pune City | David Platt | Contract finished | 20 December 2015 | Pre-season | Antonio López Habas | 25 April 2016 |
| Atlético de Kolkata | Antonio López Habas | Contract finished | 20 December 2015 | Pre-season | José Francisco Molina | 5 May 2016 |
| NorthEast United | César Farías | Contract finished | 20 December 2015 | Pre-season | Sérgio Farias | 13 May 2016 |
| Kerala Blasters | Terry Phelan | Contract finished | 20 December 2015 | Pre-season | Steve Coppell | 21 June 2016 |
| Delhi Dynamos | Roberto Carlos | Contract finished | 20 December 2015 | Pre-season | Gianluca Zambrotta | 5 July 2016 |
| NorthEast United | Sérgio Farias | Moved to Suphanburi | 9 July 2016 | Pre-season | Nelo Vingada | 16 July 2016 |
| I-League |||||||
| Bengaluru FC | Ashley Westwood | End of Contract | 1 June 2016 | Pre-season | Albert Roca | 6 July 2016 |
| DSK Shivajians | Derrick Pereira | Resigned | 8 June 2016 | Pre-season | Dave Rogers | 14 June 2016 |
| Mumbai | Khalid Jamil | Resigned | 15 June 2016 | Pre-season | Santosh Kashyap | 22 June 2016 |
| Aizawl | K. Malsawmkima | Assistant coach | 20 December 2016 | Pre-season | Khalid Jamil | 20 December 2016 |
| Chennai City | Robin Charles Raja | Sacked | 7 February 2017 | 10th | V Soundararajan | 9 February 2017 |
| Churchill Brothers | Alfred Fernandes | Assistant coach | 17 February 2017 | 10th | Derrick Pereira | 17 February 2017 |
| Mumbai | Santosh Kashyap | Sacked | 18 March 2017 | 10th | Óscar Bruzón | 19 March 2017 |
| East Bengal | Trevor Morgan | Resigned | 17 April 2017 | 3rd | Mridul Banerjee | 18 April 2017 |