Ten teams have confirmed their participation in the shortened 2025–26 season of the I-League, India’s second-tier football competition, which is scheduled to kick off on February 21, according to sources.
Out of the 10 clubs, eight have already paid their contribution of around Rs. 20 lakh each towards the operational cost of the delayed league. The deadline for making the payment was February 2. The two remaining clubs, Aizawl FC and Chanmari FC, have also confirmed participation and are expected to complete the payment shortly.
“Eight clubs have paid the amount. Aizawl FC and Chanmari FC have also confirmed participation and they are expected to make the payment shortly,” a club source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
The eight clubs that have already paid are Diamond Harbour, Real Kashmir, Gokulam Kerala, Rajasthan United, Dempo SC, Namdhari FC, Shillong Lajong and Sreenidi Deccan. Diamond Harbour of West Bengal and Chanmari FC of Mizoram earned promotion from the I-League second division 2024–25.
Goa-based Churchill Brothers is almost certain not to compete in the upcoming season. The club was initially declared champions of the last I-League edition and promoted to the Indian Super League. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sports later ruled Inter Kashi as champions, leading to their promotion instead. Churchill Brothers have since approached the Delhi High Court against the All India Football Federation, and the case remains pending.
“Churchill Brothers have not confirmed yet. They are mostly out, the managing director of the I-League will take the call,” AIFF deputy secretary general M. Satyanarayan said.
The upcoming season will be the last under the I-League name, with plans in place to rechristen it as the Indian Football League (IFL) from next season. The decision was taken at a meeting between club representatives and AIFF officials on January 28, though it still awaits approval from the AIFF Executive Committee.
The league’s delay followed the failure to renew the Master Rights Agreement between the AIFF and its former commercial partner Football Sports Development Limited. Both the I-League and ISL were paused before resuming after intervention from the sports ministry. The ISL is set to restart on February 14, a week before the I-League.
The total cost of the 2025–26 I-League season has been pegged at Rs. 3.25 crore. Clubs will contribute 60 per cent, while the AIFF will bear the remaining 40 per cent. The season will also mark the introduction of a Governing Council and Management Committee, as the league adopts a new two-phase competition format featuring a championship round and a relegation round.
