ISL to start in October with 13 teams

The upcoming season of the Indian Super League (ISL), which was earlier scheduled to kick off on September 4, is set to be postponed by more than a month and will start only after October 6.

The ISL will start only after the FIFA international match window, which runs from September 21 to October 6.

The top-tier league will also go ahead with 13 teams after the Indian Football League 2025-26 champions, Diamond Harbour FC



failed to pay the participation fee second installment amounting to Rs 55 lakh by the Wednesday deadline. Diamond Harbour were earlier promoted to the ISL by virtue of winning the Indian Football League 2025-26.

"The ISL is likely to start only in October after the FIFA window," a top official of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) told PTI.

"We are going with 13 teams in the ISL," the official added.