In a landmark decision for Indian club football, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has officially rebranded the long-standing I-League the country’s second-tier professional competition as the Indian Football League (IFL), starting with the 2025–26 season. The change, approved by the federation’s Executive Committee, represents both symbolic and structural shifts in how domestic football below…
How a disputed title, a legal marathon, and a broken commercial deal conspired to keep Churchill Brothers out of the ISL On February 12, 2026, two days before the 2025-26 Indian Super League season was due to kick off, the All India Football Federation’s Executive Committee convened an online meeting and delivered its verdict: Churchill…
At the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) House in Kuala Lumpur, the final draws for both the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 Saudi Arabia and the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026 were conducted, and India’s young footballers, both men and women, now know exactly who stands between them and a historic World Cup berth….
Punjab FC have officially unveiled their 27-member squad for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) 2025–26 season, as the Shers prepare for their third campaign in India’s top-flight competition. With a blend of continuity, youth development and targeted reinforcements, the Chandigarh-based club has once again leaned into its long-term philosophy of building sustainably while remaining…
A Narrow Miss But Is the Door Completely Shut on India’s Asian Games Hopes? On the surface, India’s U23 men’s football team will not be at the 2026 Asian Games. The new qualification framework jointly introduced by the AFC and the Olympic Council of Asia has made participation strictly merit-based only teams that qualified for…
Kerala Blasters FC have officially confirmed that they will continue to play their home matches at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi, bringing clarity after months of uncertainty surrounding the club’s venue plans . The confirmation, announced on February 10, 2026, ends speculation about a possible relocation and ensures that the Blasters will remain at…
The Indian senior women’s national football team have concluded an intensive overseas training camp in Türkiye and departed for Perth, Australia, as they enter the decisive phase of preparations for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026. The upcoming continental showpiece, to be held from March 1 to March 21, 2026, in Australia, represents far more…
Mumbai City FC will once again call the Mumbai Football Arena (MFA) their home for the 2025–26 Indian Super League season, reaffirming continuity at a time when Indian football has experienced significant structural shifts. While several aspects of the league ecosystem have changed over the past year, one constant remains the Islanders’ fortress in Andheri…
In a season defined by structural shifts and competitive recalibration, Mumbai City FC have moved decisively in the winter window, securing the services of Finnish international midfielder Joni Kauko until the end of the campaign. The move, confirmed earlier this week , signals both tactical intent and strategic clarity as the Islanders navigate a new…
The India U17 men’s national team went down 0-1 to Türkiye in the first of two international friendlies at the Emirhan Sport Center in Manavgat, Antalya, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. The closely contested match served as an important preparatory fixture for the Blue Colts ahead of the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026….
Indian football has entered a new phase of continental accountability. With the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) introducing a unified qualification pathway for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi–Nagoya (September 19–October 4, 2026), participation in football will no longer be determined by internal nominations or discretionary government approval. Instead,…
The Indian Super League transfer window has delivered another intriguing subplot, as Mumbai-born right back Ranawade makes a temporary switch to the Mariners, reuniting with head coach Sergio Lobera. The move sees the experienced defender follow the path of teammates Noah Sadaoui and Adrian Luna in heading out on loan this season, leaving Kerala Blasters…
Services clinched their eighth Santosh Trophy crown with a dramatic 1-0 extra-time victory over Kerala at the Dhakuakhana Football Stadium in Assam on Sunday. In a tense and tactical final that remained deadlocked for over 100 minutes, it was Abhishek Pawar who once again proved decisive, striking in the 109th minute to settle the contest…
The Indian women’s senior national team suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat to Romanian club FK Csíkszereda Miercurea Ciuc at the Fanatic Tour Serik Sport Center in Antalya, Türkiye, on Saturday, bringing an end to their preparatory fixtures in the country ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. The lone goal of the match came early,…
The stage is set at the Dhakuakhana Football Stadium in Assam as Kerala and Services prepare to lock horns in the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 final on Sunday. With both sides chasing their eighth title, the clash carries not just the weight of a trophy, but the weight of history. Kerala and Services are among the…
India produced a commanding performance to defeat defending champions Bangladesh 4–0 in the final of the SAFF U19 Women’s Championship 2026 at the Pokhara Rangasala Stadium in Nepal on Saturday. In a contest that few predicted would be so one-sided, the Young Tigresses delivered a tactically disciplined and emotionally charged display to overturn their recent…
Kerala Blasters FC head into the 2025–26 Indian Super League season amid one of the most turbulent periods in Indian football, with significant squad churn reflecting both structural uncertainty in the league and a conscious shift in the club’s sporting strategy. The latest transfer window has seen the Kochi-based club undergo a major reset, with…
Mohun Bagan Super Giant enter the 2025–26 season at a pivotal point, balancing continuity at the top with a clear-eyed reshaping of the squad. After establishing themselves as the most consistent force in Indian football over the past few years, the Mariners have opted for a selective rebuild rather than wholesale change strengthening key domestic…
Odisha FC head into the 2025–26 season at a clear crossroads, with a significantly reshaped squad reflecting both sporting recalibration and the broader uncertainty surrounding Indian football’s top tier. The club’s transfer activity modest in incomings but heavy on departures points towards a deliberate reset after several seasons of high investment and ambitious targets. The…
The India U20 women’s national football team has taken a decisive step in its build-up to the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, departing for a month-long preparatory camp in Sweden. The camp forms the final major preparation phase before the continental tournament, scheduled to be held in April, and reflects the All India Football…
East Bengal FC have entered yet another phase of rebuilding as the club reshapes its squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Super League season, signalling a clear intent to reset after a turbulent campaign marked by inconsistency and constant churn. With a substantial list of arrivals and departures, the Kolkata giants appear determined to strike…
Inter Kashi’s entry into the Indian Super League for the 2025–26 season is not being treated as a ceremonial promotion. Instead, the Varanasi-based club has opted for one of the most aggressive squad resets seen in Indian football in recent years, reshaping almost its entire roster to prepare for life at the highest level.The club’s…
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Wednesday officially confirmed that India has entered the bidding process to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup, marking a significant statement of intent from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Indian football’s broader ambitions on the continental stage. India is among six bidders competing for hosting rights, alongside…
Services booked their place in the final of the Santosh Trophy 2025–26 with a clinical 2–0 victory over Railways at the Silapathar Football Stadium in Assam on Thursday, riding once again on the decisive influence of Abhishek Pawar. The forward, who has emerged as one of the standout performers of this year’s national championship, scored…
Mumbai City FC head into the upcoming season in a vastly different space from where they stood just a year ago. Once the benchmark of stability and continuity in Indian football, the Islanders have undergone one of the most dramatic squad overhauls in the league, with a long list of departures offset by a smaller,…
Jamshedpur FC have entered the 2025–26 Indian Super League season in the middle of one of the most sweeping squad overhauls in the club’s history. With as many as 18 departures and 10 new arrivals, the Men of Steel have clearly opted for a reset rather than incremental change, signalling a shift in sporting direction…
Kerala secured the final semifinal berth of the Santosh Trophy 2025–26 with a comprehensive 3–0 victory over hosts Assam at the Silapathar Football Stadium, underlining their growing authority in the tournament’s decisive stages. Goals from Manoj M, Muhammad Ajsal and substitute Aboobacker Dilshad ensured a controlled and clinical performance that never allowed Assam’s home advantage…
India’s second-tier football competition, the I-League, will return in a scaled-down format on February 21 with ten clubs confirming participation for the 2025–26 season. The campaign, delayed by more than two months due to governance uncertainty in Indian football, marks a critical transition phase as the league moves towards a club-owned structure from next season….
The Indian Super League (ISL) has entered its most turbulent phase since its launch in 2014, with the 2025–26 season witnessing an unprecedented collapse in its commercial valuation. FanCode has secured the league’s broadcast rights for just ₹8.5 crore a staggering fall from the ₹550 crore paid by Viacom18 for the previous two seasons combined…
India’s Under-17 women’s team produced a ruthless, free-flowing display to thrash Bhutan 8–0 in their final round-robin match of the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship 2026 at the Pokhara Rangasala Stadium on Wednesday, sealing a place in Saturday’s final against Bangladesh. In a tournament where India are playing a year above their age group as part…
In the high-stakes world of Asian football, Loitongbam Ashalata Devi is more than just a veteran defender of Indian Football; she is the guardian of a dream. As the Indian senior women’s team prepares for a defining stretch through 2026, the captain’s message is clear: the path to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in…
Punjab FC enter the 2025–26 Indian Super League season at a defining moment in their short but ambitious top-flight journey. After finishing tenth in the 2024–25 campaign, the club did not opt for minor tweaks. Instead, it chose a bold reset releasing 14 players, signing 10 new faces, and reshaping both its tactical identity and…
The Indian women’s football team continued its encouraging preparatory phase for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over German club side Hertha BSC Frauen at the S&B Sport Football Complex in Antalya, Türkiye, on Monday. A composed finish from Grace Dangmei in the 37th minute proved decisive, as the Blue…
2025 was a defining year for the U17 Men’s Team, dominating the South Asian Football Federation U17 Championship to retain the title, facing China in two closed-door friendly matches and then qualifying for the AFC U17 Asian Cup. The year showed the team’s overall growth and tactical resilience. The spirited performances highlighted that the team…
India’s campaign at the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship 2026 took a sharp turn on Monday as the Young Tigresses went down 0–2 to Bangladesh at the Pokhara Rangasala Stadium in Nepal. The result leaves India in a tight race for the second spot in the final, despite having opened the tournament with a morale-boosting 1–0…
India’s U17 women’s football team began its SAFF U19 Women’s Championship 2026 campaign in the best possible manner, edging hosts Nepal 1–0 in a tense opening-day encounter at the Pokhara International Stadium. In a match that demanded patience, discipline and maturity well beyond their years, India relied on a first-half strike from Pearl Fernandes to…
While most of the sporting world is fixated on traditional giants, a quiet revolution is taking place in the training camps of Antalya. The Indian football senior women’s team, affectionately known as the Blue Tigresses, is currently in the thick of a high-octane preparatory stint in Türkiye. This isn’t just another tour; it’s a calculated,…
Indian women’s football is entering the most ambitious and technically sophisticated phase of its history as the Blue Tigresses prepare for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Australia. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has launched a high-performance international programme that stretches across Türkiye and Australia, combining elite-level competition, modern sports science and global…
Kerala Blasters FC are approaching the 2025–26 Indian Super League season not as a club chasing short-term stardom, but as one that has fundamentally rebuilt its sporting and organisational foundations. After a turbulent 2024–25 campaign that ended without a playoff berth and was followed by administrative and licensing challenges, the Kochi-based club has responded with…
The race in Group A of the 2025–26 Santosh Trophy Final Round took a dramatic turn on Wednesday in Dhakuakhana, Assam, as both Uttarakhand and Assam opened their accounts with impressive victories, while tournament favourites West Bengal were forced to settle for a draw for the first time in the competition. Three contrasting matches ensured…
Indian football’s second tier is on the verge of its most significant structural overhaul in nearly two decades. From February 21, 2026, the I-League the competition that once served as the country’s top division is proposed to return in a new avatar as the Indian Football League (IFL), with a radically different format, governance structure,…
Chennaiyin FC have taken another significant step in reshaping their squad for the upcoming Indian Super League season by completing the signing of Spanish midfielder Alberto Noguera. The Madrid-born playmaker has penned a deal until the end of the season, becoming the Marina Machans’ second new recruit after the recent arrival of Indian attacker Imran…
Indian football is navigating through turbulent waters these days. With the Indian Super League’s future hanging by a thread due to contractual disputes between the AIFF and FSDL, and the I-League stepping up to fill the void, the second tier has become the unlikely protagonist of Indian football’s current chapter. Against this backdrop of administrative…
The stage is set for one of South Asia’s most fiercely contested youth tournaments as the SAFF U-20 Championship 2026 prepares to kick off in Malé, Maldives, from March 23 to April 3. With the official group stage draw now confirmed, India’s young Blue Colts find themselves in a demanding Group B alongside regional heavyweights…
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has officially released the fixtures for the Indian Super League, ISL 2026 season, setting the stage for another high-intensity campaign that promises drama, rivalries, and packed stadiums across the country. With a marquee opening day on February 14 and the iconic Kolkata Derby scheduled for May 3, the calendar…
Chennaiyin FC have taken another measured step in shaping their squad for the remainder of the season by securing the services of experienced Indian attacker Imran Khan. The 30-year-old joins the Marina Machans until the end of the current campaign, bringing with him more than a decade of experience across the Indian football pyramid and…
Kerala Blasters FC’s signing of French winger Kévin Yoke on January 26, 2026, is far more than just another ISL Season addition. It is a statement of intent from a club that has been forced to reinvent itself amid one of the most uncertain periods in Indian Super League history. With the league compressed into…
Gokulam Kerala FC have made a statement signing ahead of the decisive phase of the I-League season by bringing in Afghanistan international defender Amid Arezou from Norwegian club Arendal, adding experience, physicality and leadership to a backline that will be under immense pressure in the race for promotion. The 29-year-old centre-back becomes Gokulam’s latest overseas…
The All India Football Federation’s decision to appoint Pamela Conti as head coach of the Indian U-17 women’s national team is more than a routine staffing change. It is a deliberate intervention at the most sensitive layer of the national pipeline the age group that now carries India’s best chance of qualifying for a FIFA…
Asian youth football is in the middle of its most ambitious structural overhaul in more than six decades. The Asian Football Confederation’s sweeping reforms to the U17 and U20 Asian Cups are not merely administrative adjustments they represent a complete re imagining of how young footballers across 47 member associations are identified, developed, and tested…
