---
title: "Indian Super League to start on October 10 in India; 163 matches across eight months"
sdDatePublished: "2026-09-05T14:32:00Z"
source: "https://www.olympics.com/en/news/indian-super-league-2026-27-football-start-date"
topics:
  - name: "football"
    identifier: "medtop:20001065"
locations:
  - "Mumbai"
  - "Goa"
  - "Odisha"
  - "Punjab"
  - "Delhi"
  - "Bengaluru"
  - "Kerala"
  - "Chennai"
  - "West Bengal"
  - "India"
---


Indian Super League to start on October 10 in India; 163 matches across eight months

Indian Super League 2026-27 to start on October 10; returns to home-and-away format

Indian Super League 2026-27 to start on October 10; returns to home-and-away format

The latest ISL season will comprise 13 teams playing 163 football matches, including the playoff fixtures, across eight months.

The Indian Super League 2026-27 season will begin on October 10 and run until May next year, the organisers announced on Saturday.

Launched in 2014, the franchise-based Indian Super League has been the country's premier football competition since the 2019-20 season, with the upcoming campaign set to be the 13th edition.

The new ISL season will return to its traditional home-and-away format after a shortened 2025-26 campaign was played as a single-leg round-robin format, with each of the 14 clubs playing 13 matches.

East Bengal topped the 2025-26 standings with 26 points to claim their maiden ISL title. Mohun Bagan Super Giant also finished on 26 points but the former were crowned champions courtesy of their superior goal difference.

Under a new club-led model, the league will return to the traditional home-and-away format, with the team finishing top of the table crowned Shield Winners - the official ISL champions - and securing a place in Asian competition.

The upcoming season will also see the return of the playoffs. The top six teams in the league standings qualify for the playoffs and compete for the ISL trophy.

A total of 163 matches, including the playoff fixtures, will be played across an eight-month season.

As many as 13 teams will compete in the new season, with Churchill Brothers' participation still subject to regulatory approvals.

East Bengal, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Bengaluru FC, Kerala Blasters, FC Goa, Mumbai City FC, NorthEast United FC, Odisha FC, Punjab FC, Inter Kashi FC, Chennaiyin FC, Churchill Brothers FC and Sporting Club Delhi are the 13 participating clubs.

Diamond Harbour FC, who earned promotion to the ISL after winning the Indian Football League 2025-26 title, failed to meet the administrative requirements for the upcoming season and will not take up its promoted slot.

They will be placed at the bottom of the table by default and relegated to the Indian Football League for the 2027-28 season.

The ISL Roll of Honour