The Indian Super League will return to its original format in the 2026-27 season, consisting of home and away fixtures and the knockout stages, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced in a press conference on Wednesday.
The press conference was held by officials from the AIFF and stakeholders from ISL clubs FC Goa, Northeast United FC, and Sporting Club Delhi.
Last season, the ISL was shortened to a round-robin format after the start of the competition was delayed due to administrative challenges and financial constraints within the AIFF.
“We will have a full-fledged season where every team will play their respective home and away games in a full quota rather than having to play a truncated format. We look forward to working collectively with the AIFF to try and ensure that the league is as successful as it can be,” said Ravi Puskur, the chief executive officer (CEO) of FC Goa.
Besides the return to a full season, it was also announced that clubs will hold the commercial rights for the Indian Super League going forward, while the AIFF will retain administrative control and oversight of key operational aspects.
ALSO READ:East Bengal appoints Antonio Lopez Habas as head coach ahead of 2026-27 season
“From our side, we are very committed to making this league one of the best in Asia,” said M Satyanarayan, the deputy secretary general of AIFF.
“It will be a broadcast-driven model. We are moving towards a club-led model because both the clubs and the AIFF believe it is the right approach from the perspective of long-term commercial and financial sustainability,” said Mandar Tamhane, the CEO of Northest United FC.
The clubs will issue an RFP (Request for Proposal) to secure a broadcast partner and work on sponsorships, and the calender will be planned around the FIFA and AFC competitions window, the officials added.
The new season of the ISL is set to begin on September 4, and East Bengal is the defending champion.
With inputs from AIFF media
Comments
Published on Jul 08, 2026