Why Ahmedabad is probably the sports capital of India? | Bombay Sports Stock Exchange
This request from Churchill Brothers was unanimously rejected and Inter Kashi remained in the top division after a legal quagmire that remains unresolved. The league will therefore remain a 14-team competition with a round-robin format, playing 91 games in the 2025–26 season.Yes, the 2025-26 season finally kicks off in February 2026, five months later than originally planned. The February 14 start date was only reached after intervention by the sports ministry, which wanted the delay not to affect the country’s ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympics.All this happened as Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the Reliance-backed company that launched and operated the ISL since 2014, had its Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with the AIFF expire in December 2025.Suspended by court visits and constitutional updates, the AIFF neither considered its options leading up to the deadline nor moved to revive the association.Meanwhile, uncertainty prevailed as to whether and when the season would begin. While administrators twiddled their thumbs, foreign players left to maintain their careers. The clubs had to let them go to recoup some of the costs and respect the players’ wishes.When the season finally got its start date, organizers scrambled to get the stadiums in playable condition. Odisha FC will only start training for the new season on February 17 and with no home venue confirmed, their opening match against Punjab FC on February 16 has been postponed. Kerala Blasters, who at one point were considering closing the deal, were not clear on which city they could play in.After extensive back-and-forth, the AIFF prepared the provisional fixture list, which was officially announced just a week before the start of the league. With FanCode as the digital broadcaster, Sony Sports Network’s linear TV announcement will only happen on opening day of the season.
Not just doom and gloom
Now for the positives amidst the gloom. All parties involved including the clubs, players, fans, sponsors and even the AIFF deserve credit for the season not being lost. They showed maturity for the greater good.Most players agreed to take a pay cut to keep the ball rolling, literally. The same is true of club owners and general managers who agreed to invest in a shortened season knowing that revenues would not match previous years, but have returned for the better.Even the AIFF, which has faced strong criticism and could serve as a case study in mismanagement, can claim its hands have been tied by legal disputes and warring factions. The fact that in the end it was possible, through several intermediaries, to get everyone to go in the same direction is commendable.
Are you in for more drama?
Unsurprisingly, the drama and court visits may not be over. When the AIFF circulated the league rules on the eve of the start of the season, it made it clear that relegation would be implemented according to the latest statutes.This comes barely two weeks after the clubs wrote to the Ministry of Sport asking for force majeure for the season, effectively asking for relegation to be suspended.Subsequently, the relegated club could later take the legal route if the issue is not resolved for the time being.
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Clubs: FC Goa, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Odisha FC, East Bengal, Jamshedpur FC, SC Delhi, Punjab FC, Mumbai City FC, Bengaluru FC, Kerala Blasters, Inter Kashi, Mohammedan SC, NorthEast United, Chennaiyin FC1st match: Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Kerala Blasters on February 14 at 5 PM2nd match: FC Goa vs Inter Kashi on February 14 at 7:30 PMFinancial reward for the winner: 1.25 million RsFinancial reward for second place: 75 crores of RsPrize pool for the 2025–26 season: Rs 2 millionLive broadcast: FanCodeLive on TV: Sony Sports Network