India's first ever professional football league will kick off on November 23, the All India Football Federation announced on Saturday.

The league was originally scheduled to begin on September 30 but the schedule of the World Cup qualifiers put paid to those plans.

AIFF chief Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said the league will eventually start almost two months behind the original schedule.

He also announced that the home leg of India's first round of World Cup qualifiers against Lebanon will be played in Chennai on October 28.

The first leg will be held in Lebanon on October 8 and the Indian team will leave for the UAE on September 26 for some practice games before the big match.