New Delhi: The much delayed 2025-26 Indian Super League will kick-off with a double header on February 14 with defending champions Mohun Bagan hosting Kerala Blasters in Kolkata followed by FC Goa entertaining Inter Kashi at their home in Fatorda.
Matches will be held in two time slots of 5pm and 7.30pm, it has been decided with the All India Football Federation now awaiting bids on a tender of production and broadcast of 91 matches in just over three months though the entity which wins media rights could ask for some alterations in the prepared list.
Announcement of schedule was delayed due to clubs needing time to confirm availability of their home venues and though AIFF released the fixtures on Republic Day, three stadiums are yet to be confirmed as per the match list.
Availability of Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga stadium for home matches of Odisha FC and the newly-promoted Kashi, Mumbai Football Arena for Mumbai City and EMS Stadium in Kozhikode for Kerala are yet to be confirmed.
The schedule has been approved till May 11 with AIFF yet to confirm seven matches on May 17, the final day of the tournament.
Bagan and EB, who begin campaign against NorthEast United on May 16, will play their home games at their familiar Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake stadium) in Kolkata.
Format change
In the single leg home and way format chosen for the hitherto stalled 2025-26 edition, Bagan will play seven home games while East Bengal will be host eight matches with the money-spinning Kolkata Derby slotted for May 3.
As a result of shortfall in total matchcount of each clubs as stipulated in Asian Football Confederation’s guidelines, India is set to get two “indirect” slots in continental club competitions next season.
Cash-strapped Kolkata side Mohammedan Sporting have chosen to shift base to JRD TATA Sports Complex, home of Jamshedpur FC, for their home matches while Kerala are in negotiations to move away from Kochi over non-availability of Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Punjab will share the Delhi’s JLN Stadium with Sporting Club Delhi, formerly Hyderabad FC. Bengaluru will continue to host matches at Sree Kanteerava Stadium while NEUFC will remain put at Indira Gandhi Stadium in Guwahati.
Chennaiyin, who had sought AIFF’s help to play from their preferred venue “at no cost” will continue to operate from Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.