2026-27
Indian Super League 2026–27 season guide
Indian Super League 2026–27: 13 clubs, 156 league matches over 26 rounds (24 per club), plus 7 play-off matches, how the line-up changed and what is still to be announced (relegation, fixtures).
The season is under way on this site: see the full fixture list and the points table, updated after every match. This page keeps the background — who is in, who left, and what is still to be announced.
Confirmed
Announced by AIFF and the league
| Teams | 13 clubs |
|---|---|
| Format | Double round-robin, home and away |
| Matches | 156 league matches over 26 rounds (24 per club), plus 7 play-off matches |
| Champion | League Shield to the table-toppers; the top 6 then contest the ISL Cup play-offs |
| Play-offs | Back after a season away — top 6 qualify for the ISL Cup knockout |
| Start date | 2026-10-10 — confirmed by the league |
Still open
Reported but not confirmed, or not yet decided
| Relegation | Under discussion; not decided |
|---|---|
| Fixtures | Phase 1 published on 26 September 2026: 78 matches from 10 October 2026 to 17 January 2027. Phase 2 and the play-off schedule are still to be announced. |
हिस्सा लेने वाले क्लब
13 clubs
| टीम | City | Stadium | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru FC | Bengaluru, Karnataka | Sree Kanteerava Stadium | Pep Muñoz |
| Chennaiyin FC | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium | Clifford Miranda |
| Churchill Brothers FC Goa | Margao, Goa | Fatorda Stadium | Dimitris Dimitriou |
| Sporting Club Delhi | New Delhi, Delhi | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium | Tomasz Tchórz |
| East Bengal FC | Kolkata, West Bengal | Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake) | Antonio López Habas |
| FC Goa | Margao, Goa | Fatorda Stadium | Gouramangi Singh |
| Inter Kashi | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | TBC — 2026-27 home ground not yet announced | |
| Kerala Blasters FC | Kochi, Kerala | Kaloor Stadium (Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi) | Ashley Westwood |
| Mohun Bagan Super Giant | Kolkata, West Bengal | Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan | Panagiotis Dilmperis |
| Mumbai City FC | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Mumbai Football Arena | Manolo Márquez |
| NorthEast United FC | Guwahati, Assam | Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium | Juan Pedro Benali |
| Odisha FC | Bhubaneswar, Odisha | Kalinga Stadium | TG Purushothaman |
| Punjab FC | Mohali, Punjab | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi | Pavlos Dermitzakis |
Changes since last season
Jamshedpur FC withdrew — Churchill Brothers took its place
- 2026-07-20 — Deadline for the first ₹55 lakh participation instalment. 12 of 14 clubs paid; Jamshedpur and Inter Kashi asked AIFF for an extension.
- 2026-07-31 — Jamshedpur FC announced its withdrawal from the 2026-27 season, ending nine years in the ISL, having missed the extended deadline. Inter Kashi paid the same day. The league dropped from 14 clubs to 13.
- 2026-08-14 — Tata Steel transferred its entire shareholding in Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited to Churchill Brothers for a token ₹100 — including the sporting licence and the contracts of 12 players and 2 coaches, effective September 2026.
Diamond Harbour FC promoted, then barred
- 2026-08-19 — Diamond Harbour FC, champions of the second-tier IFL, were denied entry after failing to pay the second ₹55 lakh instalment by the 14:00 deadline — promoted on the pitch but kept out over fees.
Mohammedan SC relegated
- 2026-05-21 — Mohammedan SC finished bottom of the 2025-26 table and became the first club ever relegated from the ISL; relegation had only been introduced that season.
Notes
Compiled from AIFF and league announcements and press reports; fixtures and the table live on this site's own pages. Data as of 2026-09-27.