India’s Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday announced that the Indian Super League (ISL), which had been on hold due to the absence of a commercial partner and ongoing administrative uncertainty, will begin on February 14, 2026, and all the 14 clubs are participating. The decision has ended weeks of doubt over whether the season would proceed at all.
Mandaviya said that “There was a lot of speculation regarding ISL but today govt, football federation and 14 clubs, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal included had a meeting and we have decided that ISL will start February 14. All clubs will participate.”
The announcement came after a long-awaited meeting in New Delhi which involved the government, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the representatives from all 14 ISL clubs, including traditional rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. That meeting resolved the standstill that had left Indian football in a state of uncertainty.
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey says logistics are still being finalised.
According to the AIFF president, Kalyan Chaubey, who spoke alongside the minister, the ISL season will include 91 matches played on a home-and-away basis, however, logistics are still being finalised. He also explained how the league will be funded for now: “A Rs 25 crore central pool has been made for only the conduct of the ISL. 10 percent of this fund will come from AIFF, 30 percent was to come from a commercial partner but since we don’t have one right now the AIFF will pitch in with that contribution.”
Chaubey further added that, “In all, the AIFF will give Rs 14 crore for ISL and about 3.2 crore for I League till we find a commercial partner.”
He also said that a Governing Council Board will eventually be formed to manage the leagues and be “empowered to take all commercial decisions.”
Alongside the ISL, the I-League, which is India’s second-tier football competition, will also take place “around the same time, with all 11 clubs set to participate in that competition as well.
The restart represents a major breakthrough after months of uncertainty over the league’s future, including legal disputes and funding issues that had left clubs, players, and fans anxious about the 2025-26 football season.
