New Delhi, February 16, 2026 — The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has officially announced that the 2025-26 season of the newly rebranded Indian Football League (IFL)—formerly known as the I-League—will commence on February 27, 2026.
Originally scheduled to begin on February 21, the start date has been pushed back by six days to accommodate proposals from participating clubs, ensuring better preparation and a smoother start to the campaign. The season will feature 10 clubs battling for the championship title and a coveted promotion spot to the Indian Super League (ISL) 2026-27.
Opening Day Double-Header
The league will kick off with two high-octane matches on Friday, February 27:
Namdhari FC vs Aizawl FC (Season Opener)
Chanmari FC vs Gokulam Kerala FC
The action continues into the weekend with Diamond Harbour FC taking on Sreenidi Deccan FC on February 28, followed by a clash between Shillong Lajong FC and Rajasthan United FC on March 1.
Full Stage 1 Fixture List
Below is the complete schedule for the first stage of the league:
| Match | Date | Home Team | Away Team |
| 1 | 27-Feb-26 | Namdhari FC | Aizawl FC |
| 2 | 27-Feb-26 | Chanmari FC | Gokulam Kerala FC |
| 3 | 28-Feb-26 | Diamond Harbour FC | Sreenidi Deccan FC |
| 4 | 01-Mar-26 | Shillong Lajong FC | Rajasthan United FC |
| 5 | 01-Mar-26 | Dempo Sports Club | Real Kashmir FC |
| 6 | 06-Mar-26 | Aizawl FC | Rajasthan United FC |
| 7 | 07-Mar-26 | Gokulam Kerala FC | Namdhari FC |
| 8 | 07-Mar-26 | Chanmari FC | Sreenidi Deccan FC |
| 9 | 08-Mar-26 | Shillong Lajong FC | Real Kashmir FC |
| 10 | 08-Mar-26 | Diamond Harbour FC | Dempo Sports Club |
| 11 | 12-Mar-26 | Chanmari FC | Dempo Sports Club |
| 12 | 13-Mar-26 | Rajasthan United FC | Namdhari FC |
| 13 | 13-Mar-26 | Aizawl FC | Real Kashmir FC |
| 14 | 14-Mar-26 | Gokulam Kerala FC | Sreenidi Deccan FC |
| 15 | 14-Mar-26 | Shillong Lajong FC | Diamond Harbour FC |
| 16 | 17-Mar-26 | Rajasthan United FC | Real Kashmir FC |
| 17 | 19-Mar-26 | Chanmari FC | Shillong Lajong FC |
| 18 | 19-Mar-26 | Sreenidi Deccan FC | Namdhari FC |
| 19 | 20-Mar-26 | Aizawl FC | Diamond Harbour FC |
| 20 | 20-Mar-26 | Gokulam Kerala FC | Dempo Sports Club |
| 21 | 24-Mar-26 | Aizawl FC | Chanmari FC |
| 22 | 25-Mar-26 | Sreenidi Deccan FC | Dempo Sports Club |
| 23 | 25-Mar-26 | Real Kashmir FC | Namdhari FC |
| 24 | 26-Mar-26 | Gokulam Kerala FC | Shillong Lajong FC |
| 25 | 26-Mar-26 | Rajasthan United FC | Diamond Harbour FC |
| 26 | 31-Mar-26 | Gokulam Kerala FC | Aizawl FC |
| 27 | 01-Apr-26 | Rajasthan United FC | Chanmari FC |
| 28 | 01-Apr-26 | Sreenidi Deccan FC | Shillong Lajong FC |
| 29 | 02-Apr-26 | Dempo Sports Club | Namdhari FC |
| 30 | 02-Apr-26 | Real Kashmir FC | Diamond Harbour FC |
| 31 | 05-Apr-26 | Sreenidi Deccan FC | Aizawl FC |
| 32 | 06-Apr-26 | Real Kashmir FC | Chanmari FC |
| 33 | 06-Apr-26 | Namdhari FC | Diamond Harbour FC |
| 34 | 07-Apr-26 | Dempo Sports Club | Shillong Lajong FC |
| 35 | 07-Apr-26 | Rajasthan United FC | Gokulam Kerala FC |
| 36 | 10-Apr-26 | Namdhari FC | Shillong Lajong FC |
| 37 | 11-Apr-26 | Diamond Harbour FC | Chanmari FC |
| 38 | 11-Apr-26 | Dempo Sports Club | Aizawl FC |
| 39 | 12-Apr-26 | Real Kashmir FC | Gokulam Kerala FC |
| 40 | 12-Apr-26 | Sreenidi Deccan FC | Rajasthan United FC |
| 41 | 17-Apr-26 | Namdhari FC | Chanmari FC |
| 42 | 18-Apr-26 | Shillong Lajong FC | Aizawl FC |
| 43 | 18-Apr-26 | Diamond Harbour FC | Gokulam Kerala FC |
| 44 | 19-Apr-26 | Dempo Sports Club | Rajasthan United FC |
| 45 | 19-Apr-26 | Real Kashmir FC | Sreenidi Deccan FC |
New Two-Stage Format
In a significant structural shift proposed by the clubs, the IFL 2025-26 season will be played in a two-stage format:
Stage 1 (League Phase): All 10 clubs will compete in a round-robin format.
Stage 2 (Split Phase): Based on the standings from Stage 1, the teams will be divided into two groups:
Championship Round: The top 5 teams will face each other in a home-and-away format to decide the league champion.
Relegation Round: The bottom 5 teams will compete in a centralized single-leg format to fight for survival.
Crucially, points earned in Stage 1 will carry forward to Stage 2, ensuring that every match in the initial phase remains vital for the final standings. The team finishing at the top of the Championship Round will be crowned the Indian Football League Champion and earn promotion to the top-tier ISL.
This season marks a new era for India’s second division, with the “Indian Football League” rebranding aimed at aligning the competition with international standards and enhancing its commercial appeal.
