The Indian Super League (ISL) is finally set to return after months of uncertainty that threatened the very existence of India’s top-tier football competition. All 14 clubs have formally confirmed their participation in the delayed 2025–26 season, clearing the way for the league to kick off on February 14.
According to sources within the All India Football Federation (AIFF), all clubs have now submitted written confirmation, ending speculation that had lingered despite Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announcing earlier this month that the league would resume with full participation. Until recently, a few clubs had only agreed to take part “in principle,” raising doubts over whether the season would proceed as planned.
Truncated Season, Packed Schedule
Due to the prolonged impasse between the AIFF and its former commercial partner Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the upcoming season will follow a truncated format. A total of 91 matches will be played between February 14 and May 31, with each team playing 13 matches in a single-leg home-and-away structure.
Each club will host six or seven matches at home, with the remainder played away. Fixtures are expected to be finalised later this week following consultations between the AIFF and club representatives.
The ISL had been in limbo since last July after FSDL put the league on hold amid uncertainty surrounding the Master Rights Agreement (MRA), which officially ended on December 8, 2025. Attempts to appoint a new commercial partner through a fresh tender failed to attract any bidders, further deepening the crisis before government intervention broke the deadlock earlier this month.
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Venues Largely Finalised
Most clubs have already confirmed their home venues, allowing the federation to begin work on scheduling, broadcast planning and commercial partnerships.
Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant will return to the Salt Lake Stadium, a venue they turned into a fortress last season. Arch-rivals East Bengal are also expected to use the same stadium, with both Kolkata giants already deep into preparations for the new campaign.
FC Goa will host matches at the Fatorda Stadium, Jamshedpur FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, and NorthEast United FC in Guwahati. Punjab FC and Sporting Club Delhi- formerly Hyderabad FC- will share the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
Mohammedan Sporting, after briefly exploring alternative options, will continue to play at Kishore Bharati Krirangan due to infrastructure concerns at other venues. Meanwhile, newly promoted Inter Kashi will play their home matches at the Kalyani Stadium in West Bengal, adding a third ISL venue to the state.
Mumbai City FC remains the only club yet to finalise its home venue, with civic body elections delaying confirmation. Should the Mumbai Football Arena be unavailable, the club is considering Goa or Kerala as backup options.
Clubs Already in Training
Several teams have been preparing well in advance despite the uncertainty. Mohun Bagan, who parted ways with coach Jose Molina after their Super Cup exit, have been training under new head coach Sergio Lobera since late November.
East Bengal resumed training on January 5 following their Super Cup final loss, while other clubs have also gradually ramped up preparations in anticipation of the February kick-off.
Also Read: Indian Super League 2025–26 To Begin On Feb 14
Governance and Financial Framework
To oversee the league, the AIFF will form a Governing Council Board empowered to take key commercial and operational decisions. An online meeting between the federation and the clubs is scheduled this week to discuss the formation of the council, venue issues, and the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for appointing broadcast and commercial rights partners.
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Financial sustainability remains a major concern. The AIFF has proposed a total season budget of approximately ₹24.26 crore, with an initial contribution of ₹9.77 crore from the federation and ₹1 crore from each participating club. To ease the burden, clubs have been offered the option of paying their participation fees in instalments up to June 2026.
