All 14 clubs have officially confirmed their participation for the truncated ISL 2025-26 season on Monday.
The clubs have written to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) about the details of the home venues they intend to play in. Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya had announced last week that the ISL will start from February 14.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal have Salt Lake Stadium as their home venue, while Mohammedan Sporting will have Kishore Bharati Stadium as their home.
Odisha FC, who had been biding their time, intend to play at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, the venue they have been using.
Inter Kashi have said they would prefer all their matches away.
Upon receiving the letters from clubs, the AIFF wrote to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) about the home and away single-leg format and sought an exemption to keep its Asian Champions League 2 berths intact.
AFC guidelines say that to participate in its club tournaments, a team must play a minimum of 24 matches per season (league and domestic cups combined). ISL clubs cannot meet that target this season.
The parent body officials will meet representatives of the 14 clubs on Tuesday, where the governing council policy will be tabled. The board, once formed, will announce the fixtures in the next few days.
As of now, the promotion and relegation (one team), as per the amended constitution, stays.
Odisha FC have not participated in any major tournament this season and, after Sergio Lobera left for Bagan in November, they do not have a head coach. “We have things to do. Need to speak to the Odisha government also regarding the home stadium,” an Odisha FC official said.
Worst is Mohammedan Sporting’s scenario. They have a two-window transfer ban (the ongoing January and the next summer), which bars them from signing any new player — Indian or foreign.
Mohammedan Sporting will have to do with the players they have at their disposal. They also do not have a head coach, with assistant coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo managing the affairs.
Facing a financial crunch, Mohammedan Sporting, one of the most-followed clubs in the country, will have to shell out a hefty amount to organise their home matches. “Playing away would have been cheaper, even after taking into
account all the travelling,” joked a Mohammedan Sporting official.
They finished last in the 13-team 2024-25 ISL season, but there was no relegation.
Beating the drop will surely be the main target of teams like Mohammedan Sporting and Odisha FC.
Bagan and East Bengal are already having their training sessions.
Bagan, in fact, have all the teams — under-14, under-16, under-18, developmental side and the senior team — up and running.