The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has asked all Indian Super League (ISL) clubs to confirm their respective home venues by Monday noon, a key step toward finalising the schedule for the 2025–26 season at the earliest.
The move comes after Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that the ISL, which had been on pause due to the absence of a commercial partner, will officially kick off on February 14. The upcoming season will feature all 14 clubs, restoring the league to full participation.
According to the federation, the league will consist of 91 matches, assuming all 14 teams take part. The competition format will involve single-leg home-and-away fixtures, placing additional importance on clarity around venues to ensure smooth logistical and operational planning.
In a letter issued on Saturday, AIFF Deputy General Secretary M. Satyanarayan urged clubs to submit venue details without delay. “In order to assist AIFF in finalising broadcast partners, commercial rights partners and the fixtures for the upcoming season, we request you to confirm the details of the venue that you will play your home matches at, not later than noon on January 12, 2026,” the letter stated.
The federation also assured clubs of its support in coordinating with local authorities to ensure seamless organisation of matches across venues. “AIFF will also take best efforts to coordinate with competent authorities at venue(s), to enable seamless organisation of the upcoming season of the ISL,” the communication added.
Additionally, AIFF confirmed it would engage with the Asian Football Confederation to seek any necessary exemptions required for the smooth conduct of the season, underlining the administrative work underway behind the scenes.
On the financial front, the federation outlined the budget for the 2025–26 season, which stands at INR 24,26,74,000. Of this amount, AIFF will contribute INR 9,77,40,000, while each participating club will contribute INR 1 crore. The AIFF had earlier indicated its willingness to accept the participation fee in instalments until June 2026, offering flexibility to clubs facing immediate financial constraints.
With venue confirmations now the immediate priority, the federation’s directive signals a decisive push to stabilise operations and ensure the ISL’s timely return to action early next year.
