All posts tagged: indian super league

Why ISL clubs running the league isn’t a conflict of interest?

Why ISL clubs running the league isn’t a conflict of interest?

Published by Webster

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Tuesday announced that it had reached an agreement with Indian Super League (ISL) clubs to jointly conduct the league for the upcoming season, with the clubs set to take over its commercial operations under a new governance model. Under the agreement, the clubs will own the league’s commercial rights for the next four years, although they will have the option to review the arrangement after two years. AIFF will receive 10 per cent of the league’s net profits, retain audit rights over the league’s accounts and receive ₹1.1 crore from each participating club. The announcement has also raised a question among many Indian football fans: If the clubs themselves are running the league, doesn’t that create a conflict of interest? The short answer is no. In fact, several of the world’s biggest football leagues are run on similar lines. What did AIFF announce? The AIFF confirmed that it has accepted a club-led model for the ISL’s commercial operations. While the clubs will collectively conduct the league and own …

Why ISL clubs running the league isn’t a conflict of interest?

AIFF agrees to four-year club-led ISL model after meeting with sports minister

Published by Webster

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has agreed to a club-led model for the Indian Super League (ISL) for the next four seasons following discussions involving club representatives and Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi. Under the proposed arrangement, each participating club will contribute ₹1.1 crore per season to the AIFF. If all 14 clubs compete, the federation will receive ₹15.4 crore annually to support its regulatory responsibilities, including refereeing, legal affairs, integrity measures and anti-doping operations. The decision comes after negotiations between the federation and club owners, with sources indicating that AIFF had initially sought a higher financial contribution from clubs. However, the clubs maintained their position and secured support for the club-led framework. Representatives from almost all ISL clubs attended the meeting, with the exception of Jamshedpur FC. Newly promoted Diamond Harbour FC was also present, although uncertainty remains over the club’s participation amid an ongoing investigation into its operations. Promotion and relegation to continue under new structure One of the key outcomes of the discussions was the confirmation that promotion …

How Diamond Harbour FC rose to top-tier of Indian football

How Diamond Harbour FC rose to top-tier of Indian football

Published by Webster

In the landscape of Indian football, where new entities rarely get to sit at the same table as the legacy clubs, Diamond Harbour FC has just shattered the status quo. In just three seasons, the Kolkata outfit has leapfrogged from the lower divisions to the promised land of the Indian Super League (ISL), that too by becoming the 2025-26 Indian Football League champions. At the heart of this footballing fairytale is Kibu Vicuna, a man who has turned a project into a national phenomenon. “We have to understand that in four years, we haven’t had a single player who has been with us throughout. So it was an incredible journey to build the team, very fruitful in personal terms and also in sporting terms,” he told The Bridge. Going full circle in Indian Football Vicuna’s pedigree was never in question. Before arriving at Diamond Harbour, he had already left his mark on Indian football. His tenure at Mohun Bagan is still fondly remembered, having guided the Mariners to a dominant I-League title in 2019-20 that …

How a chaotic Kolkata Derby has left 4 contenders for the title

How a chaotic Kolkata Derby has left 4 contenders for the title

Published by Webster

4 min readMay 18, 2026 07:16 PM IST It took a long time for the 2025/26 season of the Indian Super League (ISL) to heave itself off the ground and while it’s feet continued to shiver under the weight of a bureaucratic mess, it somehow has provided a thriller of a title race that has gone down to the last day. A significant byproduct of this was a Kolkata derby that, for a change, actually mattered a lot at the top of the table, after which there are now four chief contenders for the ISL trophy: East Bengal, Mohun Bagan SG, Punjab FC and Mumbai City FC. With head-to-head record between teams being the first tie-breaker this season before goal-difference, a victory for either Bagan or East Bengal would’ve practically sealed the title for either side in the Kolkata Derby. It wasn’t to be. In front of a sold out crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium, the two sides went blow for blow for almost the entirety of the match. It all came to a …

Mohammedan SC becomes the first team to face relegation in ISL

Mohammedan SC becomes the first team to face relegation in ISL

Published by Webster

Mohammedan SC became the first team to face relegation in the Indian Super League after a 0-4 defeat to Mumbai City FC in their penultimate game of the season. The Black Panthers have had a forgettable season, managing just 3 points so far in 12 games and facing relegation after two seasons in the ISL. The Kolkata-based club failed to win a single match this season, registering just 3 draws and 9 defeats. They will face Northeast United in their final game of the season on 19th May. The Islanders set the tone immediately, winning a corner straight from the kick-off and capitalising. Zothanpuia delivered an inviting ball into the box, which was met by Sahil Panwar, who flicked it past goalkeeper Padam Chettri to open the scoring and register his first-ever Indian Super League goal. The Islanders doubled their lead in the 8th minute following a well-worked move which began with a long ball from defence. Vikram received the ball and played it to Zothanpuia, who combined with Jorge Ortiz for a smooth one-two …

Diamond Harbour FC wins the Indian Football League title to earn a promotion to ISL

Diamond Harbour FC wins the Indian Football League title to earn a promotion to ISL

Published by Webster

Late drama unfolded in the closing moments as an injury-time goal from Hugo Díaz earned Diamond Harbour FC a 1-1 draw against Dempo SC at the PJN Stadium in Goa on Sunday. The point helped them clinch the Indian Football League 2025-26 title and continued their fairy tale run, climbing up four tiers in just three seasons and gaining promotion to the top tier, Indian Super League. Needing only a point to wrap up the title, Diamond Harbour were trailing from the 50th minute after Marcus Joseph gave Dempo SC the lead. A goal in the first minute of injury time ensured that they secured 29 points, thus winning their maiden IFL title, with a match to spare. The side from West Bengal won their third promotion in as many seasons after winning the I-League 3 and I-League 2 in the previous campaigns. Diamond Harbour showed signs of nervousness in the opening half hour, misplacing simple passes and lacking clarity in their attacking approach. The first chance of the game came for the home side …

Biggest East Bengal-Mohun Bagan derby in years with both fighting for ISL title

Biggest East Bengal-Mohun Bagan derby in years with both fighting for ISL title

Published by Webster

4 min readMay 17, 2026 07:30 AM IST It has taken six years but at long last, the Kolkata derby could actually be the match that decides the Indian Super League (ISL) crown, as opposed to being just a marketing pitch for the competition. Going into Sunday’s fixture at the Salt Lake Stadium, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal are level on 22 points, second and third on the table respectively, after playing 11 games with the red and gold brigade ahead on goal difference. Effectively, though, the two Kolkata giants have the strongest chance at winning the title – provided one of them wins on Sunday – with current league leaders Bengaluru FC having already finished their 13 matches with 23 points. That, and the fact that Mohun Bagan have drawn twice in their last two matches, are among the many by-products of the heavily truncated and truly bizarre season that this has been in the ISL. The first of those two draws, against FC Goa, came after an inexplicable break of 20 …

How Kolkata Derby could decide ISL 2025-26 title race?

How Kolkata Derby could decide ISL 2025-26 title race?

Published by Webster

The 2025-26 Indian Super League season is heading towards a dramatic finish. Usually, by the final week of the ISL season, the points table gives a fairly clear indication of who is likely to lift the title. But this season has been anything but predictable. With the league set to conclude on May 21, as many as seven teams, from current table toppers East Bengal FC to seventh-placed Mumbai City FC, remain mathematically in contention for the league title. The ISL follows a single-leg round-robin format this season, where all 14 teams play each other once. Unlike previous editions, there are no playoffs or knockout rounds this year, meaning the team finishing at the top of the table after 91 matches will be crowned champions. And because of that format, every remaining match suddenly feels like a final. Here’s a look at what each of the seven teams needs to do to win the ISL title: East Bengal Points: 22 from 11 matches | Goal Difference: +18 East Bengal FC currently sit at the top …

Kerala Blasters head coach, journalists asked to leave; club nearly lose their home just hours before ISL match vs Mumbai City

Kerala Blasters head coach, journalists asked to leave; club nearly lose their home just hours before ISL match vs Mumbai City

Published by Webster

3 min readUpdated: Feb 21, 2026 09:52 PM IST A fresh crisis was averted at the last minute in the Indian Super League (ISL), with the Kerala Blasters nearly losing the right to play at their designated home venue just 24 hours before their first home game of the season against Mumbai City FC, scheduled to be played at 7.30pm on Saturday. The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), owners of the Kaloor Stadium, officially known as the Jawaharlal Nehru International (JNI) Stadium, raised the rent that they had asked from the Blasters for using the venue as their home ground just two days before the fixture by Rs 2.2 lakh per match. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO Additionally, the GCDA has also asked for a balance liability amount of just over Rs 22 lakh from the deposit that the Blasters had submitted last season, giving them a deadline of 4pm on Saturday to make the payments. A series of meetings took place over the course of the last two days leading up to the deadline. However, …

GCDA rent dispute forces Blasters to shift pre-match press meet online

GCDA rent dispute forces Blasters to shift pre-match press meet online

Published by Parlour News

The Indian Super League (ISL) team, Kerala Blasters Football Club (KBFC), was denied permission to hold its customary pre-match press conference at the media room of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium (JNIS), its home ground, here ahead of the season opener against Mumbai FC on Sunday (February 22, 2026). The denial was the latest episode of the prevailing uncertainty over the stadium rent payable by KBFC to the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), which owns the stadium. Barely ten minutes before the scheduled press meet at 11.30 a.m on Saturday (February, security personnel walked in and asked KBFC officials and journalists to vacate the media room, citing instructions “from the top.” Head coach David Catala and player Rowllin Borges, who were slated to address the media, were spared the embarrassment of being unceremoniously ushered out as they were inspecting the turf at the time. They later address the media online. GCDA sources said permission was withheld as the stadium rent had not yet been remitted. “As soon as the team makes the payment, the stadium …