AIFF confirms ISL 2026-27 will proceed with 13 clubs after Diamond Harbour miss deadline
The All India Football Federation confirmed on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, that the Indian Super League 2026-27 season will proceed with 13 participating clubs after Diamond Harbour FC failed to meet a 2 pm deadline to pay their second participation fee instalment.
The AIFF had set the annual ISL participation fee at ₹1.10 crore for 2026-27, split into two equal instalments of ₹55 lakh each. Diamond Harbour completed the first instalment after the AIFF adjusted ₹55 lakh against prize money owed to them following their Indian Football League 2025-26 title win, but the remaining ₹55 lakh remained unpaid after they missed the August 14 deadline and subsequently requested more time; the federation granted a final extension that expired on August 19.
“The All India Football Federation, on behalf of the AIFF and the participating clubs, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, confirmed that the Indian Super League 2026-27 season will proceed with 13 participating clubs, playing in a double round-robin format on a home-and-away basis,” the statement from AIFF read.
Thirteen clubs, including Churchill Brothers, completed the payment process after paying the second instalment on August 14, leaving Diamond Harbour as the only club with an outstanding payment; with their final deadline now expired, the AIFF confirmed the league will go ahead with 13 clubs and no new team will replace Diamond Harbour for the upcoming campaign.
The ISL’s lineup will also differ from last season following Jamshedpur FC’s withdrawal on July 31. Tata Steel agreed to transfer its entire stake in Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited to Churchill Brothers Sports Club for a nominal ₹100, a transaction that includes Jamshedpur FC’s ISL sporting licence; Churchill Brothers have paid the complete ₹1.10 crore participation fee, their entry remains subject to the required approvals for the ownership transfer, and the club will take over the contracts of 12 players and two coaches from September 2026.
The 2026-27 campaign will inaugurate the league’s new club-led model, under a framework agreed for an initial four-year period with an opportunity for clubs to review the arrangement after two years; the AIFF will continue to oversee sporting regulations, licensing and governance. After a truncated single-leg season last edition, the ISL will return to a double round-robin, home-and-away schedule for 2026-27.
Commercially, the league has secured a new four-year licensing agreement with EA Sports and extended its relationship with Sportradar in a four-year deal reportedly worth around ₹57 crore, with Sportradar remaining the ISL’s Data and Integrity Partner until 2030; Nivia Sports has signed a two-year agreement to remain the ISL’s official ball and equipment partner. The media rights tender attracted limited interest, with only one bid submitted for the upcoming four-season cycle, and clubs have opened direct discussions with broadcasters including Zee and Sony Sports while Google has held talks about supporting the league if matches are streamed live on YouTube.
The ISL 2026-27 season is scheduled to begin on October 10, 2026. A final decision on the broadcasting arrangement will be crucial before the new season gets underway.