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The All India Football Federation (AIFF), the governing body for football in India, has unveiled its updated schedule for the 2025-26 season. Notably absent from the calendar is the Indian Super League (ISL), India’s top-tier men’s football league. Launched in 2014 as a franchise-based league, the ISL became the top-tier league in 2019 and is currently managed by FSDL. The Master Rights Agreement (MRA), which supports the league, is set to expire in December 2022, and there has been no announcement regarding its renewal. This situation casts uncertainty over 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 |
**Club Transfer Plans Disrupted As AIFF–ISL Standoff Delays Season Start**
The ongoing situation between the AIFF and the ISL, which has persisted for months, has put at risk the transfer plans of several clubs hoping to finalize deals during the domestic transfer window. According to the AIFF’s new developments, the Durand Cup will initiate the senior men’s season, followed by the Super Cup, which will be included in the league calendar rather than being the final tournament of the year. This scheduling decision was primarily influenced by low attendance at the competition and clubs’ inclination to field reserve or youth teams.
