The Indian Super League nearly didn’t happen this year. A months long standoff over commercial rights left contracts unsigned, clubs unpaid and more than 150 players without a team past the middle of summer. That fight is over now, and the league is finally moving again.
Here’s what actually matters for fans right now: the season starts 4 September 2026 with 13 clubs instead of the usual 14, and the full fixture list still hasn’t dropped. This page breaks down the confirmed calendar, the teams involved and where you’ll be able to watch it once kickoff arrives.
ISL 2026-27 Fixtures: What’s Confirmed So Far
The full match by match schedule for the Indian Super League 2026-27 season has not been released yet. The AIFF and the league have only confirmed the broad calendar so far, not the individual fixtures.
| Match | Date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Match | To be announced | TBA | TBA |
That gap is expected to close soon. Fixtures for the ISL typically get published a few weeks before a season begins, once broadcast and travel details are locked in, so a full release should land sometime in August. FootballMint will update this page with match dates, kickoff times and venues as soon as the league confirms them.
(Source: AIFF)
Indian Super League 2026-27 Season Calendar and Key Dates
The dates below reflect the calendar the AIFF and the clubs settled on after a long back and forth over the league’s commercial future.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Durand Cup | 25 June to 25 July 2026 |
| League begins | 4 September 2026 |
| League stage | September 2026 to April 2027 |
| Playoffs | After the league stage |
| Season ends | April 2027 |
That September start had been in doubt for weeks. Earlier proposals floated an October start instead, and the calendar only firmed up once the AIFF and the clubs actually signed off on how the league would be run. It’s a long window, and that’s by design. The AIFF has built it around FIFA and AFC international breaks so club football doesn’t collide with national team duty.
(Source: AIFF)
ISL 2026-27 Teams: Who’s In, Who’s Out and Who Got Barred
Thirteen teams from twelve cities will take part this season, one fewer than the 14 who competed in 2025-26. That number moved around more than once over the summer, so here’s exactly how the field settled.
Here’s the confirmed list of clubs and where they’ll be playing their home games.
| Team | City | Home Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru FC | Bengaluru | Sree Kanteerava Stadium |
| Chennaiyin FC | Chennai | Marina Arena |
| Churchill Brothers | Margao | Raia Panchayat Ground |
| SC Delhi | New Delhi | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium |
| East Bengal | Kolkata | Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan |
| FC Goa | Margao | Fatorda Stadium |
| Inter Kashi | Varanasi | Kishore Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata |
| Kerala Blasters | Kochi | Kaloor Stadium |
| Mohun Bagan SG | Kolkata | Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan |
| Mumbai City FC | Mumbai | Mumbai Football Arena |
| NorthEast United | Guwahati | IG Athletic Stadium |
| Odisha FC | Bhubaneswar | Kalinga Stadium |
| Punjab FC | Mohali | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi |
Worth noting: Inter Kashi are based in Varanasi but will play their home fixtures in Kolkata while their own stadium is still under construction. Punjab FC face a similar setup, based in Mohali but hosting matches in New Delhi. For a closer look at squads and personnel across the league, check FootballMint’s ISL teams and squads guide once rosters are finalised.
(Source: AIFF)
How the ISL 2026-27 Format Works
The league is going back to a full home and away structure this season after a shortened format was used the year before. Every team faces every other team twice, once at home and once away, before the league moves into playoffs.
- 13 teams, double round robin. Each club plays 24 league stage matches before the top sides qualify for the knockouts.
- Promotion and relegation continue, though the AIFF has been reported to be weighing a one season pause on relegation given the drop from 14 to 13 clubs. That decision still needs approval from the league’s governing council.
- A new AFC route opens up. After India’s ranking dropped in the AFC’s West Zone standings, this is the first ISL season where the champion or the best eligible club earns a spot in the AFC Challenge League preliminary round rather than a higher tier continental competition.
Once fixtures land, FootballMint’s ISL 2026-27 points table tracker will update automatically as results come in, so you won’t have to dig through match reports to see where your club stands.
(Source: AIFF)
Why the ISL 2026-27 Season Almost Didn’t Happen
None of this was guaranteed a few months ago. The trouble started back in March 2026, when the AIFF put the league’s commercial rights out to tender for a 15 year term and two bidders, Genius Sports and FanCode, emerged with very different offers.
- Genius Sports offered the bigger guaranteed payment to the AIFF.
- FanCode’s lower upfront bid appealed more to the clubs, who felt it left more money to filter down to them.
- The AIFF couldn’t get the Genius Sports deal approved at a Special General Meeting in May, after clubs pushed for more clarity on revenue sharing.
With no deal in place, more than 150 players sat out of contract heading into June, several of them internationals, and clubs couldn’t even begin preseason planning. Óscar Bruzón left East Bengal shortly after leading them to a first league title in 22 years, and clubs with AFC commitments couldn’t prepare properly.
The breakthrough came in July, when the AIFF and a coalition of clubs agreed a four year club led deal instead. The clubs now hold the league’s commercial rights through a special purpose vehicle, while the AIFF keeps regulatory control. Participation fees are fixed on a rising scale across the four years, and the traditional home and away format returns alongside promotion and relegation.
(Source: AIFF)
Where to Watch ISL 2026-27: Broadcast and Streaming
Broadcast plans are still being worked out, and that’s directly tied to the commercial rights saga above. With the original tender attracting only one bid, the clubs have opened direct talks with Zee and Sony Sports over media rights for the new four season cycle.
- Google has also held discussions with the clubs about making matches available live on YouTube.
- FanCode held the ISL’s media rights for the 2025-26 season before the new club led model took over.
- Sportradar signed on as the league’s official data and integrity partner through 2029-30, and Nivia Sports remains the official ball and kit supplier from this season.
Once broadcasters are confirmed, FootballMint’s live streaming and TV guide will list every platform showing ISL matches in your region.
(Source: AIFF)
ISL 2026-27 Kicks Off September 4 with 13 Clubs After Commercial Rights Standoff
The Indian Super League survived a genuine threat to its existence this summer and comes out the other side with a smaller field, a new club led commercial model and a return to full home and away football. Jamshedpur are gone, Diamond Harbour never made it in, and Churchill Brothers arrive in their place.
The fixture list is the last major piece still missing. Once it lands, FootballMint will have the full schedule, kickoff times and venues up as soon as they’re official, so you know exactly when your club plays first.
