The I-League 2nd Division is the 2nd highest division overall in the Indian football league system after the I-League. It is also known as Hero 2nd Division League for sponsorship reasons. The I-League 2nd Division was introduced for the 2008 season, having been previously known as the National Football League 2nd Division. The State FA's nominates the teams who have finished in the top 5 of their respective State Leagues, which are later approved by the All India Football Federation to participate in the consequent 2nd division league.
