Nominated teams At the start of the season 23 teams were nominated by the state associations for participation in this edition of the league. Following clubs were nominated:
Kerala:
SAT Tirur,
Quartz,
Kerala Delhi:
Hindustan,
Sudeva Moonlight,
Delhi United Manipur:
TRAU, SSU-Singjamei
Meghalaya:
Langsning Mizoram:
Chhinga Veng Sikkim:
United Sikkim West Bengal:
Mohammedan Sporting,
Rainbow Jammu and Kashmir:
Lonestar Kashmir,
J&K Bank Karnataka:
Ozone,
South United Telangana:
Fateh Hyderabad Odisha: Radha Raman Club
Bihar:
Shirsh Bihar United Gujarat:
ARA Jharkhand: Shivansh Jharkhand FC
Madhya Pradesh:
Madan Maharaj Selected teams On 7 December 2018, it was announced by the league committee that nine clubs cleared the licensing criteria and are allowed to participate in this season. Additionally
TRAU F.C. were granted three days of extension to clear the club licensing, considering the situation in their state league. TRAU cleared the licensing, taking the total teams competing to sixteen.
Stadiums and locations Personnel and kits Managerial changes Foreign players Each club, excluding the Indian Super League reserve sides, can register three foreign players in their squad. One of the foreign players has to be from an AFC Member Nation. ==Preliminary round==