The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has revealed its schedule for the 2025-26 football season, and the Indian Super League (ISL) is conspicuously absent. The ISL, established in 2014 as a franchise-based league, became the top-tier league in India in 2019 and is currently operated by the FSDL. The Master Rights Agreement (MRA) supporting the ISL is set to expire in December 2022, and no information has been released about its potential renewal, leading to uncertainty surrounding the league’s continued existence.
**AIFF Calendar For 2025-26 Season**
| Event | Start Date | End Date |
|—|—|—|
| Junior Boys Tier 1 and Tier 2 | 10-07-2025 | 31-07-2025 |
| Junior Girls Tier 1 and Tier 2 | 10-07-2025 | 31-07-2025 |
| Durand Cup | 15-07-2025 | 23-08-2025 |
| Super Cup/Federation Cup | 01-09-2025 | 20-09-2025 |
| Sub-Junior Girls Tier 1 and Tier 2 | 10-08-2025 | 31-08-2025 |
| Senior Women’s Group Stage | 01-09-2025 | 20-09-2025 |
| AIFF Elite Youth League (U14/U16/U18) | 01-09-2025 | 31-05-2026 |
| Senior Women’s Final Round | 01-10-2025 | 15-10-2025 |
| I-League 3 | 01-10-2025 | 30-11-2025 |
| I-League | 19-10-2025 | 30-04-2026 |
| Indian Women’s League | 25-10-2025 | 30-04-2026 |
| Santosh Trophy Group Stage | 05-12-2025 | 20-12-2025 |
| Santosh Trophy Final Round | 01-01-2026 | 20-01-2026 |
| Indian Women’s League 2 | 25-01-2026 | 30-04-2026 |
| Beach Soccer Championship | 01-02-2026 | 15-02-2026 |
| Futsal Club Championship | 01-05-2026 | 20-05-2026 |
| Swami Vivekananda U-20 Championship | 01-04-2026 | 31-05-2026 |
**AIFF-ISL Dispute Disrupts Club Plans, Delays Season Launch**
The ongoing disagreement between AIFF and the ISL has put the transfer plans of many clubs at risk, leading to delays in their season preparations. According to the latest information from the AIFF, the Durand Cup will now mark the beginning of the senior men’s season, with the Super Cup following suit within the league schedule, rather than serving as the season’s final tournament. Low fan turnout at matches and the clubs’ inclination to field less experienced teams largely contributed to this alteration in scheduling.
