The AIFF met all ISL clubs and presented its plans for the league. Accordingly, ISL 2025-26 is likely to start on Feb. 5. The format, however, is yet to be finalised. “The meeting went on positively, and representatives of all 14 clubs were present … we hope to start the league by Feb. 5,” Caetano Fernandes, the president of the Goa Football Association, who was one of the members of the Committee formed to find a league model, told The Hindu.
“It is a very positive step from the AIFF. So many livelihoods, from players to referees, depend on the game, and I am glad the federation has taken a step in the right direction,” Mukul Choudhari, Jamshedpur FC’s CEO, said.
The AIFF had proposed two models to the clubs on Dec. 24: a two-conference model across two centralised venues, or the Swiss format, where teams would travel. The clubs are expected to reach a consensus before the next meeting on Dec. 28.
“If we start on Feb. 5, we will be able to play about 190 matches. We will ask AFC to consider (the situation) because of a crisis, and allow the champion to compete in Champions League Two. FC Goa has qualified as one of the clubs for Asia through the Super Cup,” an AIFF official said.
Published – December 26, 2025 10:59 pm IST
