IFL 2026-27 Leg 1 fixtures released; Real Kashmir to host Nagaland United in opener

Real Kashmir FC will host Nagaland United SC at the TRC Stadium on 30th October 2026 in the opening match of the Indian Football League (IFL) 2026-27 season, and the league has published the full Leg 1 schedule.

The IFL, India’s second-tier domestic competition, will feature 11 teams in 2026-27 competing for a promotion place to the Indian Super League (ISL). The fixtures for the first leg have been officially released ahead of the season start, setting out the opening-day pairing and the wider curtain-raiser schedule.

Three clubs will make their IFL debuts this season: Nagaland United SC, Bengaluru United and Odisha’s Samaleswari SC. Those additions expand the roster of participants taking part in the campaign announced by the league.

Mohammedan SC will participate in the IFL after being relegated from the Indian Super League, returning to second-tier competition for the 2026-27 season. Their presence adds a club with recent ISL experience to the roster of 11 sides contesting promotion.

Khel Now reported earlier that Real Kashmir would host Nagaland United in the season opener and has published coverage of the released fixtures. The original announcement and the Leg 1 schedule have been circulated through Khel Now’s reporting channels.

The first confirmed fixture of the IFL 2026-27 campaign is Real Kashmir FC versus Nagaland United SC at the TRC Stadium on 30th October 2026, which officially kicks off the league’s Leg 1.