A few days back, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) declared the dates and schedule for the Indian football men’s national side as well as for men’s domestic football matches.
Indian football is going through a challenging period, and there is a need to restructure Indian football at the domestic as well as at the grassroots level. AIFF also declared dates for matches across different age categories. The schedule underlines important tournaments at the International level as well as FIFA windows that the teams would be participating in.
Indian Men’s senior team:
The Indian men’s team won’t be playing enough matches, but there are some crucial ties that the Blue Tigers will be playing in 2026.
The Blue Tigers are currently at the 142nd position, and Indian football is facing a critical future of existing, an already challenging task of survival. Playing more matches will definitely help the sport grow and also ensure there remains a constant flow of competitive football if we need to match the standards of superior footballing teams.
We highlight some important matches the Blue Tigers will be playing during the FIFA Window in 2026-27, alongside some domestic tournaments:
The Indian men’s team will face Hong Kong in the last Group C game of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on 31st March 2026. The Indian football fans won’t see the men’s senior team compete consistently, as there are few games during the 2026-27 FIFA window.
India vs. Hong Kong—AFC Asian Cup Qualifier—26th 26th March 2026
Under-17 Men’s Junior Team:
The under-17 men’s team will be playing in the AFC under-17 Asian Cup, as there are matches lined up in the beginning of 2026 itself. The under-17 team has already qualified for Group D.
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The Indian under-17 team was placed in Group D alongside teams like Iran, Chinese Taipei, Palestine, Lebanon, etc. The India under-17 team produced a sensational performance as they racked up 7 points, topping the group. They managed to sneak past Iran, as they had the highest points in Group D, thus managing to lead the group.
Such types of junior competitions play a vital role in helping the upcoming talents gain experience playing alongside some of the best players from across different countries. Competitions like the AFC under-17 Asian Cup provide a platform for the next generation of players to refine their skills, which can be a defining step to getting a big breakthrough from the junior level to the senior national team.
AFC under-17 Asian Cup—May 2026
I League
The I-League tournament in the men’s category will witness its 19th edition. The 2024-25 season was won by Inter Kashi FC. AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey stated on the 6th of January, 2026, that the I-League would witness 11 clubs play against each other in a home and away format, and a total of 55 matches would be played. West Bengal club Diamond Harbour and Mizoram-based club Chanmari have been promoted from I-League 2, while Sporting Bengaluru and Delhi club have been relegated to I-League 2.
The I-League will be played till the 30th of April, as it started last year in October. As far as the I-League 2 is concerned, it would be played from the 1st of February to the 30th of April 2026, and 40 clubs would be participating, with 7 more teams participating this season. Morning Star Club, which is based in Assam, has been promoted from I League 3 alongside Mighty Young Joe Goalorious Mothers Sports Club.
Santosh Trophy- Group phase of the 79th season of the Santosh Trophy has finished, with the final round matches to be played till the 20th of January. Assam was the host for group stage matches, while overall 9 venues were fixed for other matches. Kerala and West Bengal, being finalists of last season, got direct entry into the final round. A total of 35 teams were placed into 1 group that consisted of 3 teams, alongside 8 groups that consisted of 4 teams. Winners of every group would qualify for the final round.
ISL (Indian Super League)- The wait is finally over for millions of Indian football fans, as sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently stated that the ISL would start on the 14th of February 2026. The tournament would witness 14 clubs playing in the tournament, with 91 matches being played overall on a home-and-away format.
Inter Kashi FC will be making its debut in the tournament. Mohun Bagan are the defending champions at the moment, having won the 2024-25 season.
