Indian football was hit with another shock as Jamshedpur FC ended their nine-year association with the Indian Super League (ISL) and withdrew from the league ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The club, which is owned by Tata Group’s Tata Steel, made the announcement on their social media.
In the statement, the club’s parent body, the Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited (JFSPL) claimed they will continue to work towards developing the sport in the country on the grassroots level.
“Jamshedpur Football Club would like to confirm that it will not be participating in ISL from 2026-27 season onwards. JFSPL remains committed, in other capacities, to the continued growth and development of football in India. We will continue in our endeavor to promote and develop the game of football, including at the grassroots level. We will continue to identify and develop young football talent across India to create a strong pathway for young players from grassroots to national and international football,” the club statement stated.
“Most importantly, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Jamshedpur FC football fans who have vociferously filled the JRD Tata Sports Complex with their passionate support over the past decade and made the stadium a Furnace! We would also like to thank all the players, staff, coaches, employees and other personnel who have made this journey a resounding success since our inception in 2017! We are grateful for AIFF’s support and look forward to continue receiving the same and we sincerely wish AIFF and ISL continued success in their endeavours!,” the statement added.
ISL Deadline
The development comes on the deadline set by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for clubs to pay the ₹55 lakhs participation fee. Jamshedpur and Kashi FC were the only clubs remaining, but the latter paid it by the July 31st deadline.
After the curtailed 2025-26 season post-FSDL’s exit, a full season will be played in 2026-27 with a full home and away double round-robin format.
After Jamshedpur’s exit, 13 teams will play this season following Diamond Harbour’s promotion and Mohammed Sport’s exit.
The Jharkhand-based club has been part of the ISL and won the shield (league winners) in 2022. They also finished runners-up in the 2024-25 season of the Super Cup.