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Indian Football League 2025-26 Season Kicks Off February 27 with New Format

The All India Football Federation has announced the fixtures for the upcoming Indian Football League season, set to commence on February 27, 2026. The season will open with matches featuring Namdhari FC vs Aizawl FC and Chanmari FC vs Gokulam Kerala FC. A new two-stage format will see clubs first compete in a round-robin before splitting into championship and relegation groups. The eventual champion will secure promotion to the Indian Super League for the 2026-27 season.

Key Points: Indian Football League 2025-26 Season Fixtures and Format Announced

  • Season begins February 27, 2026
  • New two-stage competitive format
  • Points carry over from Stage 1 to Stage 2
  • Champion earns promotion to Indian Super League
1 min read

Indian Football League to begin on February 27

AIFF announces IFL 2025-26 season start date, fixtures, and a new two-stage format. Get details on opening matches and promotion to ISL.

"The league toppers at the end of Stage 2 will be crowned the Indian Football League champions and will be promoted to the Indian Super League 2026-27. - AIFF Release"

New Delhi, February 15

The All India Football Federation has announced the fixtures for the Indian Football League 2025-26 season.

The season will commence on February 27, 2026, with two matches scheduled on the opening day. Namdhari FC will take on Aizawl FC, while Chanmari FC will face Gokulam Kerala FC on the first day of action, as per a release from AIFF.

Per the clubs' proposal, the IFL 2025-26 season will feature a two-stage format. Stage 1 will feature the 10 participating clubs competing in a single-leg, home-and-away round-robin format.

In Stage 2, the teams are divided into two groups. Those that finished in the top half in Stage 1 will advance to a home-and-away championship round, while the bottom half will compete in a centralised relegation round.

All points from the initial stage will carry over to preserve the league's competitive context. The league toppers at the end of Stage 2 will be crowned the Indian Football League champions and will be promoted to the Indian Super League 2026-27.

The Indian Football League, formerly known as the I-League, is the second tier of the men's professional football league in India.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a new football fan in India, I'm excited to follow this. The promotion to ISL is a big incentive. Will try to catch the opening matches.
R
Rohit P
Good to see the league getting organized. But honestly, the timing clashes with the end of ISL season. AIFF should better schedule these things. Fans have limited bandwidth.
A
Ananya R
Supporting Namdhari FC from day one! 🎉 Hope more people come to watch these matches live. Grassroots football needs our support. Jai Hind!
K
Karthik V
The carry-over points system is smart. It means every match in Stage 1 counts. This could be the most exciting IFL season yet. Let's go Indian football!
M
Michael C
Interesting structure. Similar to some European leagues. Hope the quality of play improves and we see more young Indian talent coming through this pipeline.

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