I-League 3 group stage kicks off on October 22 with 19 clubs across four venues

Nineteen clubs in the 2026-27 I-League 3 will begin their group-stage fixtures on October 22, 2026, with matches scheduled at Khuman Lampak Stadium (Imphal), Amenity Football Academy (Rudrapur), SSA Stadium (Shillong) and Duler Stadium (Mapusa). All group-stage matches will be streamed live on the Indian Football YouTube Channel.

The competition will use a single round-robin format within each group and features four groups in total. Four group winners plus the two best second-placed teams across all groups will progress to a six-team play-off. The two top teams from that play-off will earn promotion to the 2027-28 I-League 2. In the previous season, 2025-26 I-League 3 champions Baghpat FC and runners-up FC Raengdai were promoted to the 2026-27 I-League 2.

Group A consists of TRAU FC, NEROCA FC, Southern Sporting Union and KLASA FC. Their matches will take place at Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal, Manipur. Group A action is scheduled to begin on October 26.

Group B includes Garhwal Heroes FC, Sher-e-Punjab SC, Corbett FC, Techtro Swades United FC and Ghaziabad City FC. Fixtures for this group will be held at the Amenity Football Academy in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand. Group B kicks off its campaign on October 22.

Group C features Kuppuraj FC, Lakecity FC, Nongkseh SS&CC, Godavari FC and Chhaygaon FC. Those matches are set for the SSA Stadium in Shillong, Meghalaya. Group C also starts on October 22.

Group D is made up of Kickstart FC, RT Boys FC, GOG FCC, Zinc Football Academy and Clube de Salgaocar. All Group D fixtures will be played at the Duler Stadium in Mapusa, Goa. Group D action begins on November 1.

The group-stage program closes on November 9, after which the four group winners and the two best second-placed teams will advance to the six-team play-offs that decide the two promotion spots to the 2027-28 I-League 2.