2025–26 Indian Super League
12th season of the Indian Football League
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The 2025–26 Indian Super League was the 12th season of the Indian Super League (ISL) and the 30th season of top-tier Indian football. The season commenced on 14 February and concluded on 21 May 2026.[2]
| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 14 February – 21 May 2026 |
| Teams | 14 |
| Champions | East Bengal 1st ISL title 4th Indian title |
| Relegated | Mohammedan |
| AFC Champions League 2 | East Bengal Goa (as AIFF Super Cup winners) |
| Matches | 91 |
| Goals | 221 (2.43 per match) |
| Best Player | Miguel Figueira |
| Top goalscorer | Youssef Ezzejjari (11 goals) |
| Best goalkeeper | Hrithik Tiwari (5 clean sheets) |
| Biggest home win | East Bengal 7–0 Mohammedan (23 March 2026) |
| Biggest away win | Mohammedan 0–4 Mumbai City (15 May 2026) |
| Highest scoring | East Bengal 7–0 Mohammedan (23 March 2026) |
| Longest winning run | 4 matches Jamshedpur Mohun Bagan Kerala Blasters |
| Longest unbeaten run | 10 matches East Bengal |
| Longest winless run | 13 matches Mohammedan |
| Longest losing run | 7 matches Mohammedan |
| Highest attendance | 62,201 Mohun Bagan 1–1 East Bengal (17 May 2026)[1] |
| Lowest attendance | 156 Odisha 2–3 Punjab FC (16 May 2026) |
| Total attendance | 768,450 |
| Average attendance | 8,634 |
← 2024–25 2026–27 → | |
Mohun Bagan are the defending champions, having won their second Indian Super League title.
East Bengal won their first ISL title and fourth overall Indian title, ending a 22-year title drought.[3]
Background
Developments
- 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.[4][5] 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 promised that the new season would start in December.[6][7]
- The season was delayed even further after no bids came in for a tender for commercial partners floated by the AIFF on 16 October 2025.[8]
- On 6 January 2026, after discussions with the stake holders, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed that ISL would begin on 14 February, and would be played in a single leg home-and-away format for a total of 91 matches.[9]
- On 12 January 2026, all 14 clubs confirmed their participation in this season. The AIFF outlined a total proposed budget of ₹24.26 crore for the season, a significant reduction from the previous seasons. The federation will contribute ₹9.77 crore upfront, while each participating club will provide ₹1 crore. The remaining expenses will be managed through allocated federation resources as the league progresses.[10]
- The Asian Football Confederation granted India a one-season exemption from the mandatory 24-match league requirement. Hence, both the ISL champions and Super Cup winners will be eligible to participate in the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two qualifiers next season.[11][12][13]
- Following a media rights tender by the AIFF in January 2026, OTT sports streaming platform FanCode were announced as winners of the broadcasting rights and will be the official streaming partner of the 2025–26 season, while KPS Studios won the bid for production rights.[14] The Indian Super League (ISL) 2025–26 season will be broadcast on the Sony Sports Network after FanCode sublicensed the linear TV rights to the media conglomerate.[15]
Changes from last season
- This is the first season without the post-season ISL Cup playoffs.[16] The 14 participating clubs will compete in a single-leg round-robin format, with each team playing 13 matches. The table toppers at the end of the league will be crowned champions.[2]
- The AIFF will implement relegation this season onwards, despite objections from all 14 clubs, who cited the shortened season as their primary concern.[17]
Teams
Fourteen (14) teams from 12 cities 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.[18]
On 7 October 2025, Hyderabad FC announced its relocation to Delhi and rebranded to SC Delhi.[19]
- Promoted from I-League
- Rebranded clubs
- Hyderabad FC shifted its base to Delhi and rebranded as Sporting Club Delhi.[20][21]
Stadiums and locations
Kolkata
Locations of Indian Super League teams
Location of the Kolkata football club tents and stadiums
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru | Bengaluru | Sree Kanteerava Stadium | 25,810 |
| Chennaiyin | Chennai | Marina Arena | 40,000 |
| SC Delhi | New Delhi | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium | 60,254 |
| East Bengal | Kolkata | Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan | 85,000 |
| Goa | Margao | Fatorda Stadium | 19,000 |
| Inter Kashi[a] | Varanasi | Kishore Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata | 12,000 |
| Jamshedpur | Jamshedpur | JRD Tata Sports Complex | 24,424 |
| Kerala Blasters | Kochi | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium | 40,000 |
| Mohammedan | Kolkata | Kishore Bharati Krirangan | 12,000 |
| Mohun Bagan | Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan | 85,000 | |
| Mumbai City | Mumbai | Mumbai Football Arena | 7,000 |
| NorthEast United | Guwahati | IG Athletic Stadium | 21,600 |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar | Kalinga Stadium | 15,000 |
| Punjab[b] | Mohali | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi | 60,254 |
- The club is based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, but will play its home games in Kishore Bharati Krirangan at Kolkata due to ongoing construction on their own stadium getting built in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.[22][23]
Personnel and kits
| Team | Head coach | Captain(s) | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru |  Pep Muñoz |
 Sunil Chhetri |
Puma | JSW |
| Chennaiyin | Clifford Miranda |
Alberto Noguera |
Six5Six | ISGL.in |
| SC Delhi |  Tomasz Tchórz |
Lamgoulen Hangshing |
Six5Six | Universal Sompo General Insurance |
| East Bengal | Óscar Bruzón |
Saúl Crespo |
Trak Only | Emami |
| Goa | Manolo Márquez |
Sandesh Jhingan |
Six5Six | ISGL.in |
| Inter Kashi | Abhijit Mondal |
Sergio Llamas |
Hummel | RDB Group |
| Jamshedpur |  Owen Coyle |
 Stephen Eze |
Nivia | Tata Steel |
| Kerala Blasters |  Ashley Westwood |
Danish Farooq Bikash Yumnam Aibanbha Dohling |
Six5Six | White Gold |
| Mohun Bagan SG | Sergio Lobera |
Subhasish Bose |
Skechers | CESC |
| Mohammedan | Mehrajuddin Wadoo |
Gaurav Bora |
Rocky Sports | Merlin Group |
| Mumbai City |  Petr Kratky |
Lallianzuala Chhangte |
Puma | Etihad Airways |
| NorthEast United | Juan Pedro Benali |
Michel Zabaco |
Reebok | Meghalaya Tourism |
| Odisha | TG Purushothaman |
Carlos Delgado |
Kaidos Sports | Odisha Tourism |
| Punjab |  Panagiotis Dilberis |
Nikhil Prabhu |
Shiv Naresh | DafaNews |
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kerala Blasters | T. G. Purushothaman |
End of interim spell | 25 March 2025[25] | Pre-season | David Català |
25 March 2025[26] |
| SC Delhi | Shameel Chembakath |
31 May 2025[27] | Tomasz Tchórz |
19 October 2025[28] | ||
| Chennaiyin | Owen Coyle |
Mutual consent | 17 July 2025[29] | Clifford Miranda |
12 September 2025[30] | |
| Jamshedpur | Khalid Jamil |
Signed by India | 13 August 2025[31] | Owen Coyle |
24 January 2026[32] | |
| Odisha | Sergio Lobera |
Mutual Consent | 26 November 2025[33] | TG Purushothaman |
5 February 2026[34] | |
| Mohun Bagan | José Francisco Molina |
Sacked | 26 November 2025[35] | Sergio Lobera |
26 November 2025[33] | |
| Bengaluru | Gerard Zaragoza |
Mutual consent | 14 November 2025[36] | Renedy Singh |
14 November 2025[37] | |
| Bengaluru | Renedy Singh |
25 March 2026 | 5th | Pep Muñoz |
25 March 2026[38] | |
| Kerala Blasters | David Català |
Sacked | 27 March 2026[39] | 13th | Ashley Westwood |
27 March 2026[40] |
| Inter Kashi | Antonio López Habas |
Mutual consent | 11 May 2026[41] | 10th | Abhijit Mondal |
11 May 2026[42] |
Foreign players
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.[43]
Due to the uncertainty surrounding Indian football, a number of foreign players exited their clubs before the start of the shortened season.[44][45]
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Bengal (C) | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 11 | +19 | 26 | Qualification for the Champions League Two qualifying playoffs[a] |
| 2 | Mohun Bagan | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 9 | +14 | 26 | |
| 3 | Mumbai City | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 9 | +8 | 25 | |
| 4 | Bengaluru | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 12 | +6 | 23 | |
| 5 | Jamshedpur | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 22[b] | |
| 6 | Punjab | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 12 | +6 | 22[b] | |
| 7 | Goa | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 11 | +4 | 20 | Qualified for the Champions League Two qualifying playoffs[c] |
| 8 | Kerala Blasters | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 17 | −2 | 17 | |
| 9 | NorthEast United | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 21 | −5 | 16 | |
| 10 | Inter Kashi | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 17 | −6 | 13 | |
| 11 | Odisha | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 22 | −8 | 11[d] | |
| 12 | Delhi | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 17 | −4 | 11[d] | |
| 13 | Chennaiyin | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 21 | −12 | 9 | |
| 14 | Mohammedan (R) | 13 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 32 | −25 | 3 | Relegation to IFL |
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).
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
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).
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- As per Article 4 of entry regulations for AFC’s club competitions, each club needs to play a minimum of 24 matches per season in the domestic top division that runs for at least eight months, to receive direct slots in AFC club competitions. Since Indian clubs will play just 13 games, the ISL winners will enter the qualifying stage of the ACL2 instead of the group stage.
- Head-to-head points: Jamshedpur 3, Punjab 1.
- Goa qualified for the AFC Champions League Two qualifying playoffs as the 2025–26 AIFF Super Cup winners.[46]
- Head-to-head points: Odisha 3, Delhi 0.
Results
Match by match
Form
Position by round
Season statistics
- As of 21 May 2026[47]
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Youssef Ezzejjari |
East Bengal | 11 |
| 2 |  Jamie Maclaren |
Mohun Bagan | 10 |
| 3 | Effiong Nsungusi |
Punjab | 7 |
| 4 |  Dejan Dražić |
Goa | 6 |
| 5 | Alfred Planas |
Inter Kashi | 5 |
| Matija Babović |
SC Delhi | ||
| 7 | Dani Ramírez |
Punjab | 4 |
| Ryan Williams |
Bengaluru | ||
| Víctor Bertomeu |
Kerala Blasters | ||
| Edmund Lalrindika |
East Bengal | ||
 Braian Sánchez |
Bengaluru | ||
| Lallianzuala Chhangte |
Mumbai City |
Top assists
| Rank | Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Miguel Figueira |
East Bengal | 5 |
| 2 | Liston Colaco |
Mohun Bagan | 4 |
| Ebindas Yesudasan |
Kerala Blasters | ||
| Lalremtluanga Fanai |
Bengaluru | ||
| 5 | Franchu |
Kerala Blasters | 3 |
| Alberto Noguera |
Chennayin | ||
| Subhasish Bose |
Mohun Bagan | ||
| Dejan Dražić |
Goa | ||
| Vishnu PV |
East Bengal | ||
 Samir Zeljković |
Punjab | ||
| Dimitri Petratos |
Mohun Bagan | ||
| Bipin Singh |
East Bengal | ||
| Lalthathanga Khawlhring |
Odisha | ||
| K Lalrinfela |
Odisha |
Clean sheets
| Rank | Player | Team | Clean sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hrithik Tiwari |
Goa | 6 |
| Phurba Lachenpa |
Mumbai City | ||
| Vishal Kaith |
Mohun Bagan | ||
| Albino Gomes |
Jamshedpur | ||
| Prabhsukhan Singh Gill |
East Bengal | ||
| Gurpreet Singh Sandhu |
Bengaluru | ||
| 7 | Nora Fernandes |
SC Delhi | 4 |
| Arshdeep Singh |
Punjab | ||
| 9 | Shubham Dhas |
Inter Kashi | 3 |
| Mohammad Nawaz |
Chennaiyin |
Discipline
Player
- Most yellow cards: 6
- Bijoy Varghese (Punjab)
- Most red cards: 1
- 18 players
Club
- Most yellow cards: 39
- NorthEast United
- Most red cards: 3
- Punjab
Awards
| Award | Winner | Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Ball | Miguel Figueira |
East Bengal | [48] |
| Golden Boot | Youssef Ezzejjari | ||
| Golden Glove | Hrithik Tiwari |
Goa |
Attendance
- As of 21 May 2026
Regular season
| Pos | Team | Total | High | Low | Average | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohun Bagan | 229,801 | 62,201 | 12,222 | 25,533 | −28.6% |
| 2 | Bengaluru | 92,235 | 21,714 | 9,614 | 15,373 | +29.9% |
| 3 | East Bengal | 130,408 | 22,899 | 233 | 14,490 | −21.4% |
| 4 | Kerala Blasters | 70,853 | 16,243 | 2,863 | 7,873 | −50.5% |
| 5 | Jamshedpur | 69,591 | 12,789 | 4,341 | 7,732 | −45.9% |
| 6 | Delhi | 44,517 | 10,087 | 3,523 | 7,420 | +389.1%ǂ |
| 7 | Inter Kashi | 8,327 | 8,112 | 215 | 4,164 | +502.6%† |
| 8 | NorthEast United | 32,358 | 7,473 | 1,739 | 4,045 | −61.6% |
| 9 | Chennaiyin | 21,956 | 6,389 | 2,623 | 3,659 | −48.5% |
| 10 | Mumbai City | 16,850 | 3,911 | 2,190 | 3,370 | −9.7% |
| 11 | Goa | 18,680 | 5,160 | 1,577 | 3,113 | −69.8% |
| 12 | Punjab | 19,257 | 3,897 | 2,534 | 3,210 | +6.7% |
| 13 | Odisha | 8,690 | 3,218 | 156 | 1,738 | −77.3% |
| 14 | Mohammedan | 4,927 | 4,240 | 340 | 1,642 | −59.9% |
| League total | 768,450 | 62,201 | 156 | 8,634 | −22.1% |
Source: [citation needed]
Notes:
†Inter Kashi played in the I-League in the 2024–25 season.
ǂSC Delhi played in the 2024–25 season as Hyderabad FC.
By home matches
| Team \ Home Game | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohun Bagan | 29,110 | 22,765 | 30,047 | 19,727 | 26,997 | 12,222 | 20,004 | 62,201 | 26,732 | 229,801 |
| East Bengal | 18,636 | 20,386 | 22,899 | 12,853 | 13,379 | 11,213 | 13,244 | 233[a] | 17,565 | 130,408 |
| Bengaluru | 12,347 | 13,623 | 9,614 | 20,214 | 21,714 | 14,723 | N/a | 92,235 | ||
| Kerala Blasters | 16,243 | 7,586 | 6,435 | 2,863 | 3,621 | 3,213 | 7,548 | 9,827 | 13,517 | 70,853 |
| Jamshedpur | 4,341 | 7,230 | 7,856 | 12,789 | 10,236 | 6,339 | 5,699 | 8,032 | 7,069 | 69,591 |
| Delhi | 6,732 | 8,153 | 7,761 | 8,261 | 3,523 | 10,087 | N/a | 44,517 | ||
| NorthEast United | 7,473 | 6,379 | 3,564 | 3,847 | 3,221 | 3,342 | 1,739 | 2,793 | N/a | 32,358 |
| Chennaiyin | 6,389 | 2,966 | 2,947 | 2,623 | 2,894 | 4,137 | N/a | 21,956 | ||
| Punjab | 3,897 | 3,216 | 2,906 | 2,737 | 2,534 | 3,967 | 19,257 | |||
| Goa | 1,577 | 5,160 | 2,532 | 2,237 | 4,820 | 2,354 | 18,680 | |||
| Mumbai City | 3,426 | 3,911 | 2,190 | 3,674 | 3,649 | N/a | 16,850 | |||
| Odisha | 2,421 | 3,218 | 2,678 | 217[a] | 156[a] | 8,690 | ||||
| Inter Kashi | N/A[b] | N/A[b] | 215 | 8,112 | N/a | 8,327 | ||||
| Mohammedan | 4,240 | 340 | 347 | N/a | 4,927 | |||||
Legend: Highest Lowest
See also
- Men
- 2025–26 Indian Football 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
- 2025 Durand Cup
- 2026 Reliance Foundation Development League
- Women
- 2025–26 Indian Women's League (Tier I)
- 2025–26 Indian Women's League 2 (Tier II)