New Delhi: The Indian Football League (IFL) 2026-27 season will begin on October 30, with the competition set to return to a full-fledged home-and-away format, the league’s Governing Council decided at a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. Representatives of all 11 participating clubs attended the meeting, which reviewed the previous season and finalised plans for the upcoming campaign. The 2025-26 season had been played in a truncated format, but the league recorded a significant rise in viewership, with figures reportedly four times higher than the previous season.
Also Read:Mumbai Security Scare: Man With Fake PMO ID, Armed Bodyguard Held
One of the key decisions was the approval of a new foreign-player regulation. Teams will be permitted to have a maximum of three foreign players on the pitch at the same time during an IFL match. The move is expected to provide greater opportunities for Indian players while also influencing clubs’ recruitment and tactical planning. The league will also expand its geographical reach, with Nagaland and Odisha added as new venues for the 2026-27 season. The inclusion of the two states is expected to bring professional football closer to new audiences.
AIFF Deputy Secretary General M. Satyanarayan said the truncated previous season generated considerable interest and expressed confidence about the expanded campaign. Meanwhile, discussions are underway with Prasar Bharati regarding the broadcast of IFL matches. League representatives met Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi in New Delhi on September 7, raising the possibility of matches being telecast on Doordarshan. With the home-and-away format, new venues and revised foreign-player regulations, the 2026-27 season is expected to mark an important phase in the development of Indian second-tier football.
