ISL to Kick Off on February 14 After Months of Uncertainty; I-League Likely from February 20

Kolkata: After months of uncertainty marked by litigation, financial challenges and the absence of a commercial partner, Indian football is set to resume with the Indian Super League (ISL) scheduled to begin on February 14. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in the presence of 14 ISL club CEOs and All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey. The I-League is likely to start on February 20.

Chaubey, who has consistently maintained that both leagues would be held despite prolonged disruptions, said the decision marked a crucial step in reviving the domestic football calendar. “Football is a people’s sport. It cannot be stopped due to litigation or financial challenges. All stakeholders were anxious to resume the league. Fans can watch matches again, and players can get back to the field,” he said.

However, several challenges remain. Not all ISL clubs have stadiums that can be made match-ready within a month, relegation continues to be a contentious issue—with Odisha FC indicating that its participation could depend on the removal of relegation—and some clubs are negotiating pay cuts with players and staff amid financial strain. The shortened ISL season may also fall short of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) requirements to retain India’s continental berths.

According to Chaubey, fixtures will be prepared in consultation with participating clubs. The ISL budget has been capped at ₹25 crore, with ₹5.8 crore earmarked as prize money. “The prize money may be lower than previous editions, but the immediate focus is to restart the league and ensure players get competitive match exposure. Other aspects will be strengthened gradually,” he said.

The resumption of domestic football is seen as vital for player development, especially after India’s recent losses to Bangladesh and Singapore and failure to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup. Chaubey attributed part of that setback to the lack of match opportunities, noting that league football had been affected for nearly seven months.

Looking ahead, Chaubey said plans for 2026 are being firmed up and may include India touring World Cup participants New Zealand. He also expressed optimism about India’s future participation in the Asian Games, despite football not meeting the government’s criteria for inclusion, as was the case in 2023.

The AIFF president also outlined preparations for the senior women’s national team, which has qualified for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time. Ahead of the finals in Australia starting March 1, the team will travel to Turkey for a couple of tournaments, followed by practice matches in Australia. India is scheduled to stay 26 days in Turkey from January 16 and will travel to Perth on February 10, playing between eight and 12 preparatory matches. India will open its campaign against Vietnam in Perth.

Chaubey noted that India’s qualification for four Asian finals in 2026—including the women’s under-20 team and the boys’ and girls’ under-17 teams—has been overshadowed by legal disputes and administrative challenges. “We are exploring multiple options to provide all teams with quality exposure, training and support. Nothing is bigger than national interest,” he said, adding that national teams will receive government grants as per policy.

Financial concerns persist for the federation. The annual payment of ₹50 crore from its commercial partner has stopped following the end of the agreement last month, while AIFF is expected to spend around ₹13 crore to run the ISL and I-League this season. Legal expenses have also mounted, with AIFF records indicating nearly ₹5 crore spent since 2017 on a Supreme Court case alone.

“In 2025 alone, AIFF faced over 25 hearings across the Supreme Court, High Courts and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Significant resources were spent on legal proceedings, which could otherwise have been used for national team development,” Chaubey said.

He added that the negative climate around Indian football may have delayed the appointment of coaches at the FIFA Academy in Bhubaneswar. “Now that the constitution has been adopted and the leagues are starting, I am hopeful the appointments will be made soon. Two coaches are due to visit Bhubaneswar this month,” he said.