2025–26 I-League
| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Dates | TBD |
← 2024–25 2026–27 → | |
The 2025–26 I-League will be the 19th season of the I-League and the fourth season as the second tier of the Indian football league system. Inter Kashi FC were the reigning champions, having won the 2024–25 I-League.
After the Indian Super League received no bids for a sponsor, the I-League was left without a commercial partner too, putting the future of the league in doubt.[1][2]
Team changes
The following teams have changed division since the 2024–25 season:
To I-LeaguePromoted from I-League 2 |
From I-LeaguePromoted to ISL Relegated to I-League 2 The AIFF appeal committee stayed relegation for Delhi and Sporting Bengaluru from the 2024–25 I-League season until it arrives at a final judgement. Later, CAS terminated SC Bengaluru's appeal over non-payment and both teams are set to enter I-League 2 this season.[3]
|
Teams
Aizawl
Locations of the I-League teams
| Team | State/UT | City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aizawl | Mizoram | Aizawl | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium | 20,000 |
| Chanmari | ||||
| Dempo | Goa | Mapusa | Duler Stadium | 10,000 |
| Diamond Harbour | West Bengal | Diamond Harbour | Naihati Stadium | 25,000 |
| Gokulam Kerala | Kerala | Kozhikode | EMS Stadium | 50,000 |
| Churchill Brothers | Goa | Margao | Raia Panchayat Ground[4] | 8,000 |
| Namdhari | Punjab | Bhaini Sahib | Namdhari Stadium | 1,000 |
| Rajasthan United | Rajasthan | Jaipur | Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium | 3,000 |
| Real Kashmir | Jammu & Kashmir | Srinagar | TRC Turf Ground | 10,000 |
| Shillong Lajong | Meghalaya | Shillong | SSA Stadium | 5,000 |
| Sreenidi Deccan | Telangana | Hyderabad | Deccan Arena | 1,500 |
Personnel and sponsorship
| Team | Head coach | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aizawl | Victor Lalbiakmawia | Lalchhawnkima | Vamos[5] | NECS Limited[6] |
| Churchill Brothers | Dimitris Dimitriou | Aubin Kouakou | King Sports | Churchill Brothers |
| Chanmari | Dipankur Sharma | Lalrinchhana Tochhawng | Six5Six | Livaah |
| Diamond Harbour | Kibu Vicuña | Subrata Santra | Nautica | Apeejay Surrendra |
| Dempo | Samir Naik | Mohamed Ali | Shiv Naresh | Dempo |
| Gokulam Kerala | José Hevia | Shibinraj Kunniyil | Vector X[7] | CSB Bank[8] |
| Namdhari | Harpreet Singh | Manvir Singh | SPS Hospitals[9] | Namdharis |
| Rajasthan United | Vikas Rawat (Interim) | Mohit Singh Verito | King Sports | Vertak Group |
| Real Kashmir | Ishfaq Ahmed | Kamal Issah | Hummel | Livpure |
| Shillong Lajong | Birendra Thapa | Hardy Nongbri | King Sports | Meghalaya Tourism |
| Sreenidi Deccan | Ishant Singh (Assistant) | Eli Sabiá | Hummel | Sreenidi Group |
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gokulam Kerala | Renjith TA | End of interim spell | 6 June 2025 | Pre-season | José Hevia | 6 June 2025[10] |
| Shillong Lajong | José Hevia | Mutual consent | 5 June 2025 | Birendra Thapa | 18 July 2025[11] |
Foreign players
Bold denotes the player was signed mid-season.
| Team | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | Player 4 | Player 5 | Player 6 | Former player(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Churchill Brothers | Sebastian Gutierrez | Aubin Kouakou | Pape Gassama | Wayde Lekay | José Luis Moreno | Rafiq Aminu | |
| Aizawl | |||||||
| Chanmari | |||||||
| Diamond Harbour | Clayton | Bright Enobakhare | Sunday Afolabi | Luka Majcen | Mikel Kortazar | ||
| Dempo | Damián Perez Roa | Shaher Shaheen | Marcus Joseph | ||||
| Gokulam Kerala | Thabiso Brown | Albert Torras | Alfred Planas | Edu Martínez | Juan Carlos Rico | Matías Hernández | |
| Namdhari | Dé | Lamine Moro | |||||
| Rajasthan United | Robinson Blandón | Abdul Halik Hudu | Ebenezer Amoh | Abdul Samad Ango | Gerard Artigas | Pedro Astray | |
| Real Kashmir | Paulo Cézar | Modou Mbengue | Abiodun Adetola | ||||
| Shillong Lajong | |||||||
| Sreenidi Deccan | David Castañeda | Ángel Orelien | Eli Sabiá |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aizawl | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promotion to ISL |
| 2 | Churchill Brothers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Chanmari | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Dempo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Diamond Harbour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Gokulam Kerala | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Namdhari | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Rajasthan United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Real Kashmir | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Shillong Lajong | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Sreenidi Deccan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First match(es) will be played: 19 October 2025. Source: I-League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Total goal difference; 5) Total number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots
(Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Total goal difference; 5) Total number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots
(Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played)
Results
Fixtures and results
Results by games
Positions by round
Season statistics
Top scorers
Hat-tricks
Top assists
Clean sheets
Attendance
Overall
Attendances by home matches
Awards
See also
- 2025–26 Indian Super League (Tier I)
- 2025–26 I-League 2 (Tier III)
- 2025–26 I-League 3 (Tier IV)
- 2025–26 Indian State Leagues (Tier V)
References
- ^ "Indian football crisis deepens as I-League finds no takers". The Times of India. 2025-12-15. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ "No kickoff in sight as Indian football battles an uncertain future: 'It is not about ISL. There is no I-League'". Firstpost. 2025-12-17. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^
- "AIFF appeal committee issues stay order on relegation in I-League". News9live. 2025-05-27. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
- "I-League: AIFF Appeals Committee dismisses SC Bengaluru's protest against Namdhari FC". Khel Now. 2025-07-25. Retrieved 2025-11-01.
- "CAS set to terminate SC Bengaluru's I-League relegation appeal over non-payment". Khel Now. 2025-10-27. Retrieved 2025-11-01.
- ^ "Churchill Bros opt for Raia as their home ground for the I-League". The Times of India. 8 December 2024. Archived from the original on 6 February 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
- ^ "Unveiling our 40th Anniversary Edition Home Jersey for the 2024/2025 season. 🔴⚪️". X (Twitter). 23 June 2024. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ "Unveiling our 40th Anniversary Edition Home Jersey for the 2024/2025 season. 🔴⚪️". X (Twitter). 23 June 2024. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ "It's official – GKFC and Do's India unite for a season of greatness! We're excited to have them on board as our kit partner". Gokulam Kerala FC. 21 August 2023. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ Zaidi, Waseem (21 January 2022). "I-LEAGUE: Introducing shirt sponsors of every I-league club for 2021-22 season". www.khelnow.com. Khel Now. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ Saha, Rahul (3 November 2023). "I-league Commercial Guide: A Complete List of the 2023/24 I-League Team Sponsors". sportskhabri.com. Sports Khabri. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "Gokulam appoint attack-minded Jose Hevia as head coach, aim instant ISL promotion". Onmanorama. 6 June 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ^ "Lajong promote from within, name Birendra Thapa as new head coach". The Sports Room. 19 July 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2025.