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2025–26 Indian Super League
12th season of the Indian Football League From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2025–26 Indian Super League will be the 12th season of the Indian Super League (ISL), the fourth season as the only top division and the 30th season of top-tier Indian football.
In June 2025, the FSDL formally informed the ISL clubs and the AIFF that the 2025–26 season was on hold due to unresolved contractual issues, ahead of the expiry of the Master Rights Agreement in December.[1][2] After the intervention of The Supreme Court of India, which requested both parties to resolve the issues between them and start the 2025–26 season as quickly as they could, both parties have now promised that the new season will start in December.[3][4]
The season is now expected to be delayed even further or not even take place this season after no bids came in for a tender for commercial partners floated by the AIFF.[5]
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Changes from last season
- No franchisee fee payment shall be applicable from 2025 to 2026 season, either for founding or non-founding participating teams.
- Promotion and relegation will be introduced from this season onwards in accordance with the roadmap of the AFC. Relegated clubs will get support in terms of parachute payments by the AIFF as per time spent in the competition.[6]
- The AIFF also mandates the implementation of a football video support system for the next five years, which could be followed by VAR, with a nod from the federation, in 2031.[7]
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Teams
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Fourteen teams are competing in the 12th season of Indian Super League – thirteen from the previous season and one promoted from the I-League. Churchill Brothers were initially declared the provisional champions of the I-League by AIFF, but the decision was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport who declared Inter Kashi as champions.[8]
On 7 October 2025, Hyderabad FC announced its relocation to Delhi and rebranded to Sporting Club Delhi.[9]
- Promoted from I-League
- Rebranded clubs
- Hyderabad FC shifted its base to Delhi and rebranded as Sporting Club Delhi.[10][11]
Stadiums and locations
- Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Kolkata
Locations of Indian Super League teams
Location of the Kolkata football club tents and stadiums
- The club is based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, but will play its home games in Guwahati due to a lack of football stadiums in Uttar Pradesh.[12]
- The club will play its home derbies against East Bengal and Mohun Bagan at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan[13]
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Personnel and kits
Managerial changes
Foreign players
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The AIFF allows teams to register a maximum of six foreign players. A maximum of four can be fielded in a match at a time.[27]
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League table
First match(es) will be played: December 2025. Source: Indian Super League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) head-to-head points; 5) head-to-head goal difference; 6) head-to-head goals scored; 7) fair play ranking; 8) drawing of lots
(Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played).
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) head-to-head points; 5) head-to-head goal difference; 6) head-to-head goals scored; 7) fair play ranking; 8) drawing of lots
(Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played).
Notes:
- If Mohun Bagan, who are banned from AFC competitions for at least a year, become ISL champions, the ISL league runners-up will qualify for AFC Champions League Two group stage.[28]
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Results
Form
First match(es) will be played on 2025. Source: Indian Super League
Position by round
First match(es) will be played on 2025. Source: Indian Super League
= Qualification to the Semifinals and AFC Champions League Two group stages; = Qualification to the Semifinals; = Qualification to the Knockout
= Qualification to the Semifinals and AFC Champions League Two group stages; = Qualification to the Semifinals; = Qualification to the Knockout
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Attendances
Overall
Home match played
ISL Cup playoffs
The ISL Cup Play-offs is a knockout tournament held after the regular league season.
- Format:
- Top six teams from the league qualify for the playoffs.
- The top two teams advance directly to the two-legged semi-finals.
- Teams ranked 3rd to 6th play a single-legged knockout round, hosted by the higher-ranked team.
- Progression:
- Winners of the knockout stage join the top two teams in the semi-finals.
- Semi-finals are played over two legs to determine the finalists.
- The tournament culminates in a single-leg final hosted by the higher-ranked league side to crown the ISL Cup winner.
Bracket
| Knockout | Semifinals | Finals | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | ||||||||||||||||
ISL Cup Final
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See also
- Men
- 2025–26 I-League (Tier II)
- 2025–26 I-League 2 (Tier III)
- 2025–26 I-League 3 (Tier IV)
- 2025–26 Indian State Leagues (Tier V)
- 2025–26 AIFF Super Cup
- 2024 Durand Cup
- 2025 Durand Cup
- 2026 RFD League
- Women
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
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