ISL To Run From September 1 to April 11 As Per AIFF's Tentative 2026-27 Calendar

Last Updated:June 02, 2026, 22:56 IST

AIFF unveils packed 2026-27 calendar, ISL from September 1 to April 11, key cups and lower tiers aligned, East Bengal FC crowned ISL champions after final day title race

The All India Football Federation has mapped out a packed 2026-27 domestic calendar, with the top-flight Indian Super League stretching across seven months and major cup competitions slotted tightly around it, signalling a return to a more traditional season structure.

As per the AIFF’s tentative schedule, the ISL is planned to run from September 1 to April 11, restoring a full-length campaign after this year’s shortened edition that was affected by administrative complications. The Federation Cup has been pencilled in soon after, from April 20 to May 10, ensuring continuity in elite club competition.

The Indian Football League (IFL), recognised as the second tier of men’s football in the country, is slated for an October 9 start and will continue until March 14. On the women’s side, the Indian Women’s League (IWL) is listed from September 3 to January 24 in the proposed calendar, which still requires formal clearance from the executive committee.

Further down the pyramid, the I-League 2 tournament is scheduled to run between February 1 and April 11, dovetailing with the closing phase of the ISL. The third division men’s league is set to take place from August 15 to November 7, providing a defined window for lower-tier clubs to compete.

The Durand Cup, one of the oldest competitions on the calendar, is scheduled from July 11 to August 20, effectively serving as an early-season event ahead of the league campaigns. Alongside it, the Indian Women’s League 2 (IWL) is proposed to be held from July 9 to August 22, giving the women’s structure a second-tier competition in the same period.

The National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy is marked to be conducted from November 19 to January 17 next year, fitting into the broader domestic schedule without overlapping excessively with other key tournaments.

This season’s ISL adopted a single-leg round-robin format, with all 14 participating teams facing each other once. Across the competition, 91 matches were staged, and each side completed a 13-game league schedule.

East Bengal FC claimed the title for the first time in the history of ISL, edging out traditional rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant, with the championship race decided on the final day of the league last month. Their triumph added a new chapter to the rivalry while closing a tightly contested campaign.

The tentative roadmap also blocks out windows for age-group national championships, youth leagues, Futsal championships and a beach soccer tournament, underlining the AIFF’s intent to run a comprehensive season across formats and levels.

(With PTI Inputs)

About the Author

Aakash Biswas

A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I...Read More

News sports football ISL To Run From September 1 to April 11 As Per AIFF's Tentative 2026-27 Calendar

Read More