The AIFF, the primary governing body for football in India, has announced its schedule for the 2025-26 season. A notable observation is the exclusion of the Indian Super League (ISL) from the calendar. The ISL, launched in 2014 as a franchise-based league, attained top-tier status in 2019 and is currently operated by the FSDL. The Master Rights Agreement (MRA) supporting the ISL is scheduled to expire in December 2022, and there has been no indication of its renewal, raising concerns about the ISL’s future.
**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 and ISL’s Standoff Impacts Club Preparations, Delays Season Kickoff**
The continuing dispute between AIFF and ISL has created issues for several clubs’ transfer plans, causing a delay in the start of the season. According to recent AIFF announcements, the Durand Cup will initiate the senior men’s season, followed by the Super Cup, as per the league calendar, not as the final tournament of the year. This modification in the schedule was primarily due to reduced attendance at the competition and the tendency of clubs to field reserve or youth teams.