2025–26 Indian Super League

The 2025–26 Indian Super League is the 12th season of the Indian Super League (ISL) and the 30th season of top-tier Indian football. It commenced on 14th February and ends on 17th May 2026 with 91 matches to be played in this period.

Source: Wikipedia

Article

2025–26 Indian Super League

The 2025–26 Indian Super League is the 12th season of the Indian Super League (ISL) and the 30th season of top-tier Indian football. It commenced on 14th February and ends on 17th May 2026 with 91 matches to be played in this period.

Mohun Bagan are the defending champions, having won their second Indian Super League title last season and seventh Indian title in the previous season.

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. 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• The Asian Football Confederation granted India a one-season exemption from the mandatory 24-match league requirement. With this relaxation, the ISL champions and Super Cup winners will be eligible to participate in the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two qualifiers next season.

• 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. 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.

Changes from last season

• This is the first season without the post-season ISL Cup playoffs. 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 the Champions.

• The AIFF will implement relegation this season onwards, despite objections from all 14 clubs, who cited the shortened season as their primary concern.

• ISL clubs qualify for AFC continental club competitions, with the league champions earning qualification for the subsequent season's AFC Champions League Two qualifying playoffs.

Teams

2025–26 Indian Super League

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.

On 7 October 2025, Hyderabad FC announced its relocation to Delhi and rebranded to SC Delhi.

• Hyderabad FC shifted its base to Delhi and rebranded as Sporting Club Delhi.

Stadiums and locations

<table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>Location</th><th>Stadium</th><th>Capacity</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bengaluru</td><td>Bengaluru</td><td>Sree Kanteerava Stadium</td><td>25,810</td></tr><tr><td>Chennaiyin</td><td>Chennai</td><td>Marina Arena</td><td>40,000</td></tr><tr><td>SC Delhi</td><td>New Delhi</td><td>Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium</td><td>60,254</td></tr><tr><td>East Bengal</td><td>Kolkata</td><td>Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan</td><td>68,000</td></tr><tr><td>Goa</td><td>Margao</td><td>Fatorda Stadium</td><td>19,000</td></tr><tr><td>Inter Kashi</td><td>Varanasi</td><td>Kishore Bharati Krirangan</td><td>12,000</td></tr><tr><td>Jamshedpur</td><td>Jamshedpur</td><td>JRD Tata Sports Complex</td><td>24,424</td></tr><tr><td>Kerala Blasters</td><td>Kochi</td><td>JLN Kaloor Intl. Stadium</td><td>40,000</td></tr><tr><td>Mohammedan</td><td>Kolkata</td><td>Kishore Bharati Krirangan</td><td>12,000</td></tr><tr><td>Mohun Bagan</td><td>Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan</td><td>68,000</td></tr><tr><td>Mumbai City</td><td>Mumbai</td><td>Mumbai Football Arena</td><td>7,000</td></tr><tr><td>NorthEast United</td><td>Guwahati</td><td>IG Athletic Stadium</td><td>21,600</td></tr><tr><td>Odisha</td><td>Bhubaneswar</td><td>Kalinga Stadium</td><td>15,000</td></tr><tr><td>Punjab</td><td>Mohali</td><td>Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium</td><td>60,254</td></tr></tbody></table>

Personnel and kits

2025–26 Indian Super League

<table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>Head coach</th><th>Captain(s)</th><th>Kit manufacturer</th><th>Shirt sponsor</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bengaluru</td><td>Pep Muñoz</td><td>Sunil Chhetri</td><td>Puma</td><td>JSW</td></tr><tr><td>Chennaiyin</td><td>Clifford Miranda</td><td>Alberto Noguera</td><td>Six5Six</td><td>ISGL.in</td></tr><tr><td>SC Delhi</td><td>Tomasz Tchórz</td><td>Lamgoulen Hangshing</td><td>Six5Six</td><td>Universal Sompo General Insurance</td></tr><tr><td>East Bengal</td><td>Óscar Bruzón</td><td>Saúl Crespo</td><td>Trak Only</td><td>Emami</td></tr><tr><td>Goa</td><td>Manolo Márquez</td><td>Sandesh Jhingan</td><td>Six5Six</td><td>ISGL.in</td></tr><tr><td>Inter Kashi</td><td>Antonio López Habas</td><td>Sergio Llamas</td><td>Hummel</td><td>RDB Group</td></tr><tr><td>Jamshedpur</td><td>Owen Coyle</td><td>Stephen Eze</td><td>Nivia</td><td>Tata Steel</td></tr><tr><td>Kerala Blasters</td><td>Ashley Westwood</td><td>Danish Farooq Bikash Yumnam</td><td>Six5Six</td><td>White Gold</td></tr><tr><td>Mohun Bagan SG</td><td>Sergio Lobera</td><td>Subhasish Bose</td><td>Skechers</td><td>CESC</td></tr><tr><td>Mohammedan</td><td>Mehrajuddin Wadoo</td><td>Gaurav Bora</td><td>Rocky Sports</td><td>Merlin Group</td></tr><tr><td>Mumbai City</td><td>Petr Kratky</td><td>Lallianzuala Chhangte</td><td>Puma</td><td>Etihad Airways</td></tr><tr><td>NorthEast United</td><td>Juan Pedro Benali</td><td>Michel Zabaco</td><td>Reebok</td><td>Meghalaya Tourism</td></tr><tr><td>Odisha</td><td>TG Purushothaman</td><td>Carlos Delgado</td><td>Trak Only</td><td>Odisha Tourism</td></tr><tr><td>Punjab</td><td>Panagiotis Dilberis</td><td>Nikhil Prabhu</td><td>Shiv Naresh</td><td>DafaNews</td></tr></tbody></table>

Managerial changes

<table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>Outgoing manager</th><th>Manner of departure</th><th>Date of vacancy</th><th>Position in table</th><th>Incoming manager</th><th>Date of appointment</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Kerala Blasters</td><td>TG Purushothaman</td><td>End of interim spell</td><td>25 March 2025</td><td>Pre-season</td><td>David Català</td><td>25 March 2025</td></tr><tr><td>SC Delhi</td><td>Shameel Chembakath</td><td>31 May 2025</td><td>Tomasz Tchórz</td><td>19 October 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Chennaiyin</td><td>Owen Coyle</td><td>Mutual consent</td><td>17 July 2025</td><td>Clifford Miranda</td><td>12 September 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Jamshedpur</td><td>Khalid Jamil</td><td>Signed by India</td><td>13 August 2025</td><td>Owen Coyle</td><td>24 January 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Mohun Bagan</td><td>José Francisco Molina</td><td>Sacked</td><td>26 November 2025</td><td>Sergio Lobera</td><td>26 November 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Bengaluru</td><td>Gerard Zaragoza</td><td>Mutual consent</td><td>14 November 2025</td><td>Renedy Singh</td><td>14 November 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Odisha</td><td>Sergio Lobera</td><td>26 November 2025</td><td>TG Purushothaman</td><td>5 February 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Bengaluru</td><td>Renedy Singh</td><td>25 March 2026</td><td>5th</td><td>Pep Muñoz</td><td>25 March 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Kerala Blasters</td><td>David Català</td><td>27 March 2026</td><td>13th</td><td>Ashley Westwood</td><td>27 March 2026</td></tr></tbody></table>

Foreign players

2025–26 Indian Super League

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.

Due to the uncertainty surrounding Indian football, a number of foreign players exited their clubs before the start of the shortened season.

<table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>Player 1</th><th>Player 2</th><th>Player 3</th><th>Player 4</th><th>Player 5</th><th>Player 6</th><th>Former player(s)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bengaluru</td><td>Braian Sánchez</td><td>Sirozhiddin Kuziev</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Chennaiyin</td><td>Eduardo Kau</td><td>Elsinho</td><td>Mohammed Ali Bemammer</td><td>Daniel Chima Chukwu</td><td>Alberto Noguera</td><td>Iñigo Martin</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>SC Delhi</td><td>Julio Rivas</td><td>Rafael Ribeiro</td><td>Ousmane Fané</td><td>Abdul Halik Hudu</td><td>Ebenezer Amoh</td><td>Matija Babović</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>East Bengal</td><td>Kevin Sibille</td><td>Miguel Figueira</td><td>Anton Søjberg</td><td>Mohammed Rashid</td><td>Saúl Crespo</td><td>Youssef Ezzejjari</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Goa</td><td>Dejan Dražić</td><td>Pol Moreno</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Inter Kashi</td><td>Nauris Petkevičius</td><td>Alfred Planas</td><td>David Humanes</td><td>Lluis Tarrés</td><td>Mario Barco</td><td>Sergio Llamas</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Jamshedpur</td><td>Raphaël Messi Bouli</td><td>Madih Talal</td><td>Rei Tachikawa</td><td>Stephen Eze</td><td>Lazar Ćirković</td><td>Nikola Stojanović</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kerala Blasters</td><td>Kévin Yoke</td><td>Fallou Ndiaye</td><td>Jai Quitongo</td><td>Matías Hernández</td><td>Víctor Bertomeu</td><td>Karim Benarif</td><td>Oumar Bah Marlon Roos-Trujillo</td></tr><tr><td>Mohammedan</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mohun Bagan</td><td>Dimitri Petratos</td><td>Jamie Maclaren</td><td>Jason Cummings</td><td>Robinho</td><td>Tom Aldred</td><td>Alberto Rodríguez</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mumbai City</td><td>Jorge Pereyra Díaz</td><td>Joni Kauko</td><td>Nuno Reis</td><td>Jorge Ortiz</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>NorthEast United</td><td>Andy Rodríguez</td><td>Jairo Samperio</td><td>Míchel Zabaco</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Odisha</td><td>Carlos Delgado</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Punjab</td><td>Samir Zeljkovic</td><td>Pablo Santos</td><td>Bede Osuji</td><td>Effiong Nsungusi</td><td>Dani Ramírez</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

League table

2025–26 Indian Super League

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>D</th><th>L</th><th>GF</th><th>GA</th><th>GD</th><th>Pts</th><th>Qualification</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Mumbai City</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>8</td><td>4</td><td>+4</td><td>14</td><td>Qualification for the Champions League Two qualifying playoffs</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Mohun Bagan</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>14</td><td>3</td><td>+11</td><td>13</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Jamshedpur</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>7</td><td>4</td><td>+3</td><td>13</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>East Bengal</td><td>6</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>16</td><td>4</td><td>+12</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Bengaluru</td><td>6</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>8</td><td>5</td><td>+3</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Goa</td><td>6</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>3</td><td>+3</td><td>10</td><td>Qualified for the Champions League Two qualifying playoffs</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Punjab</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>7</td><td>4</td><td>+3</td><td>8</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>NorthEast United</td><td>6</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>6</td><td>11</td><td>−5</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Odisha</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>−1</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Chennaiyin</td><td>5</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>5</td><td>−2</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Inter Kashi</td><td>6</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>5</td><td>8</td><td>−3</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>SC Delhi</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>10</td><td>−6</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Kerala Blasters</td><td>6</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>5</td><td>3</td><td>10</td><td>−7</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Mohammedan</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>17</td><td>−15</td><td>0</td><td>Relegation to Indian Football League</td></tr></tbody></table>

Season statistics

Top scorers

<table><thead><tr><th>Rank</th><th>Player</th><th>Team</th><th>Goals</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Jamie Maclaren</td><td>Mohun Bagan</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Youssef Ezzejjari</td><td>East Bengal</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Effiong Nsungusi</td><td>Punjab</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Dejan Dražić</td><td>Goa</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Lallianzuala Chhangte</td><td>Mumbai City</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Noufal PN</td></tr><tr><td>Braian Sánchez</td><td>Bengaluru</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>8 players</td><td>2</td></tr></tbody></table>

Top assists

<table><thead><tr><th>Rank</th><th>Player</th><th>Team</th><th>Assists</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Anirudh Thapa</td><td>Mohun Bagan</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Liston Colaco</td></tr><tr><td>Subhasish Bose</td></tr><tr><td>Madih Talal</td><td>Jamshedpur</td></tr><tr><td>Nikhil Poojary</td><td>Bengaluru</td></tr><tr><td>Rahim Ali</td><td>Odisha</td></tr><tr><td>M. Kipgen</td><td>Punjab</td></tr><tr><td>Ebindas Yesudasan</td><td>Kerala Blasters</td></tr><tr><td>Dejan Dražić</td><td>Goa</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>41 players</td><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table>

Clean sheets

<table><thead><tr><th>Rank</th><th>Player</th><th>Team</th><th>Clean sheets</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Phurba Lachenpa</td><td>Mumbai City</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Vishal Kaith</td><td>Mohun Bagan</td></tr><tr><td>Hrithik Tiwari</td><td>Goa</td></tr><tr><td>Albino Gomes</td><td>Jamshedpur</td></tr><tr><td>Prabhsukhan Singh Gill</td><td>East Bengal</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Gurpreet Singh Sandhu</td><td>Bengaluru</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Mohammad Nawaz</td><td>Chennaiyin</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Amrinder Singh</td><td>Odisha</td></tr><tr><td>Lluis Tarrés</td><td>Inter Kashi</td></tr><tr><td>Arshdeep Singh</td><td>Punjab</td></tr></tbody></table>

Player

• Most yellow cards: 4 • Naocha Singh (Kerala Blasters) • Ayush Chhetri (Goa) • Yellow cards : 3 • Bijoy Varghese (Punjab) • Dimitri Petratos (Mohun Bagan) • Pronay Halder (Jamshedpur) • Joni Kauko (Mumbai City) • Sahil Panwar (Mumbai City) • Mark Zothanpuia (Jamshedpur) • Abdul Rabeeh (Goa)

• Most red cards: 1 • Lluis Tarrés (Inter Kashi) • Joseph Lalmuanawma (Mohammedan SC) • Marlon Roos-Trujillo (Kerala Blasters) • Mayakkannan (Northeast United) • Effiong Nsungusi (Punjab) • Vincy Barretto (Jamshedpur) • Valpuia (Mumbai City)

Club

• Most yellow cards: 18 • NorthEast United • Inter Kashi

• Most red cards: 1 • Mohammedan SC • Kerala Blasters • Mumbai City • Jamshedpur • Punjab • Northeast United • Inter Kashi

Attendance

Regular season

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Total</th><th>High</th><th>Low</th><th>Average</th><th>Change</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Mohun Bagan</td><td>128,646</td><td>30,047</td><td>19,727</td><td>25,729</td><td>−28.0%†</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>East Bengal</td><td>99,366</td><td>22,899</td><td>11,213</td><td>16,561</td><td>−10.1%†</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Bengaluru</td><td>55,798</td><td>20,214</td><td>9,614</td><td>13,950</td><td>+17.9%†</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Kerala Blasters</td><td>33,127</td><td>16,243</td><td>2,863</td><td>8,282</td><td>−47.9%†</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>NorthEast United</td><td>13,852</td><td>7,473</td><td>6,379</td><td>6,926</td><td>−34.2%†</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Delhi</td><td>6,732</td><td>6,732</td><td>6,732</td><td>6,732</td><td>+343.8%ǂ</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Jamshedpur</td><td>19,427</td><td>7,856</td><td>4,341</td><td>6,476</td><td>−54.7%†</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Chennaiyin</td><td>6,389</td><td>6,389</td><td>6,389</td><td>6,389</td><td>−10.0%†</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Punjab</td><td>7,113</td><td>3,897</td><td>3,216</td><td>3,557</td><td>+18.3%†</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Goa</td><td>6,737</td><td>5,160</td><td>1,577</td><td>3,369</td><td>−67.3%†</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Mumbai City</td><td>9,527</td><td>3,911</td><td>2,190</td><td>3,176</td><td>−14.9%†</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Odisha</td><td>5,639</td><td>3,218</td><td>2,421</td><td>2,820</td><td>−63.1%†</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Mohammedan</td><td>4,580</td><td>4,240</td><td>340</td><td>2,290</td><td>−44.1%†</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Inter Kashi</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>NA†</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>League total</td><td>396,933</td><td>30,047</td><td>340</td><td>10,728</td><td>−3.2%†</td></tr></tbody></table>

By home matches

<table><thead><tr><th>Team \ Home Game</th><th>1</th><th>2</th><th>3</th><th>4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Mohun Bagan</td><td>29,110</td><td>22,765</td><td>30,047</td><td>19,727</td><td>26,997</td><td></td><td></td><td>128,646</td></tr><tr><td>Goa</td><td>1,577</td><td>5,160</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>6,737</td></tr><tr><td>Bengaluru</td><td>12,347</td><td>13,623</td><td>9,614</td><td>20,214</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>55,798</td></tr><tr><td>Chennaiyin</td><td>6,389</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>6,389</td></tr><tr><td>East Bengal</td><td>18,636</td><td>20,386</td><td>22,899</td><td>12,853</td><td>13,379</td><td>11,213</td><td></td><td>99,366</td></tr><tr><td>Inter Kashi</td><td>N/A</td><td>N/A</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Jamshedpur</td><td>4,341</td><td>7,230</td><td>7,856</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>19,427</td></tr><tr><td>Kerala Blasters</td><td>16,243</td><td>7,586</td><td>6,435</td><td>2,863</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>33,127</td></tr><tr><td>Mohammedan</td><td>4,240</td><td>340</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>4,580</td></tr><tr><td>Mumbai City</td><td>3,426</td><td>3,911</td><td>2,190</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>9,527</td></tr><tr><td>NorthEast United</td><td>7,473</td><td>6,379</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>13,852</td></tr><tr><td>Odisha</td><td>2,421</td><td>3,218</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>5,639</td></tr><tr><td>Punjab</td><td>3,897</td><td>3,216</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>7,113</td></tr><tr><td>Delhi</td><td>6,732</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>6,732</td></tr></tbody></table>