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 group stage. == Teams ==