ISL 2026-27 to Kick Off on October 10, Home-and-Away Format Returns for 163-Match Season
Introduction
The Indian Super League will begin its 2026-27 season on October 10, restoring a fuller domestic football calendar after the heavily compressed campaign of last season.
The competition is scheduled to continue until May 2027, with 163 matches planned and 13 teams expected to participate. The familiar home-and-away league structure will return, along with the playoffs, giving clubs a considerably longer campaign than they had in 2025-26.
The new season will also be significant away from the pitch. The ISL is moving into a club-led commercial model, with participating teams taking a larger role in the league's commercial direction while the All India Football Federation remains involved in its administration.
Home-and-Away Football Returns
The restoration of the home-and-away format is one of the biggest changes for the coming season.
Under the planned structure, the 13 participating teams will compete in a round-robin league, playing opponents at home and away. The club that finishes at the top of the standings will be crowned the ISL Shield winner.
The top six teams will then advance to the playoffs, where they will compete for the ISL Cup.
It represents a return to a more familiar structure after the 2025-26 season was staged as a shortened, single-leg competition. That campaign featured 14 clubs playing 13 league matches each, with East Bengal finishing top of the standings on 26 points.
East Bengal and Mohun Bagan Super Giant ended level on points, but East Bengal claimed the title on superior goal difference.
163 Matches Planned Until May 2027
The October 10 start places the ISL inside an extended season running through May 2027.
A total of 163 matches are scheduled, significantly expanding the amount of club football available compared with the previous campaign.
The longer calendar also gives clubs more time to manage travel, recovery and squad rotation while restoring regular home fixtures for supporters across the country.
Scheduling will have to account for other demands on leading players and clubs. The AIFF had previously said the domestic calendar would be planned around FIFA men's international windows and AFC club competitions, an important consideration for both the national team and Indian clubs involved in continental football.
13 Teams Set to Compete
As things stand, the 2026-27 ISL lineup consists of:
Bengaluru FC
Chennaiyin FC
Churchill Brothers FC
East Bengal FC
FC Goa
Inter Kashi FC
Kerala Blasters FC
Mohun Bagan Super Giant
Mumbai City FC
NorthEast United FC
Odisha FC
Punjab FC
Sporting Club Delhi
There is, however, an important qualification to the list.
Churchill Brothers FC's participation remains subject to regulatory approvals. The Goan club is expected to enter the competition after acquiring Jamshedpur FC's ISL sporting licence, but the necessary regulatory process still has to be completed.
Diamond Harbour FC Will Not Take Up Promoted Slot
Diamond Harbour FC's situation adds an unusual element to the new season.
The club earned promotion after winning the 2025-26 Indian Football League title but did not fulfil the administrative fee requirement necessary to take up its promoted ISL place.
According to the AIFF's position, Diamond Harbour will not be eligible to earn points in the 2026-27 ISL and will effectively be placed at the bottom of the standings.
The club will consequently not retain ISL status for the 2027-28 season and is due to compete in the Indian Football League that year.
The arrangement means the coming season will not operate like a conventional relegation battle at the bottom of the table, even as the broader promotion-and-relegation principle remains part of the league structure.
A New Club-Led Phase for the ISL
Beyond the competition format, 2026-27 marks a structural shift in how the ISL operates commercially.
The AIFF and participating clubs outlined the new model in July, under which the clubs will hold the league's commercial rights while the federation retains administrative control and oversight of key operational areas.
The change is intended to give clubs greater influence over the league's commercial direction and create a more sustainable long-term model.
That makes the coming season more than simply a return to a longer schedule. It will also test whether greater club involvement can improve the league's commercial stability while maintaining a consistent football calendar.
Why the 2026-27 Season Matters
For Indian football, restoring a full home-and-away competition addresses one of the biggest limitations of the previous season.
Home fixtures are central to building regular match-going audiences, strengthening club identity and giving teams a more balanced sporting schedule. A season stretching from October to May also brings the ISL closer to the rhythm expected of a national top-flight competition.
The challenge will be delivering that expanded calendar while managing international windows, continental fixtures and the commercial demands of the league's new operating structure.
With East Bengal entering as defending champions, the return of the playoffs and 163 matches scheduled over the campaign, the 2026-27 season is set to be an important test of the ISL's attempt to establish greater sporting and commercial stability.
