I-League 2025-26 Schedule: Opening Round of Fixtures Begin February 21

In a positive development for Indian football, the I-League is officially scheduled to start from February 21. Following recent meetings between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the I-League clubs, the action in the second-tier is finally kicking off next month. With the 2025-26 ISL season slated to begin a week prior, the thirst of fans for watching the games in the subcontinent will be quenched. Also, many reports suggest that now the second division will be rebranded as the Indian Football League instead of the former name I-LEAGUE.

The I-League, founded in 2007, replaced the old National Football League and has spawned the careers of several Indian national team players, including INFT Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Rahul Bheke. The surprise results and dramatic season ends have made the competition a darling among the avid football fans in India.

However, the introduction of the Indian Super League (ISL) in 2014 was a game-changing seismic event for football in India. The recognition of the ISL as the top division in October 2019 further deteriorated the I-League's status; however, the league retains some legacy fans who continue to tune in and support the ‘real indian football’ action.

Despite losing some of the top Indian stars to the ISL over the years, the I-League has turned into a proving ground for young Indian players to thrive and showcase their huge potential in a challenging league. Aizawl FC's Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia, who scored 12 goals and former teammate Lalbiakdika Vanlalvunga, who made 11 goal contributions, were the breakout players last term. The league has set the stage for promising talent to impress again as the I-League 2025-26 schedule kicks off soon.

Introduction of A New Format In The I-League 2025-26 Schedule

A new structure for the competition was also discussed when AIFF officials met I-League owners and representatives on January 28. The proposal suggests a two-stage format for the upcoming campaign. According to the format, Stage 1 will witness all participating I-League clubs taking part in a single home and away round-robin stage.

Stage 2 will see the creation of two groups out of the teams, as the teams finishing in the top half of the I-League table at the end of Stage 1 will advance to a home-and-away championship round. The bottom half sides will compete in a centralised relegation round, with all the points from the initial stage carrying forward to preserve competitive context.

2024-25 I-League Key Highlight

Last season, the drama surrounding the final standings of the 2024-25 table drew a lot of eyeballs from fans. One of the participating clubs, Inter Kashi was deep in trouble with the AIFF Disciplinary Committee over the validity of the registration of Marco Barco and was asked to forfeit all matches in which Barco played. The forfeits meant Churchill Brothers SC, who were second in the standings, were crowned the league champions.

However, the Uttar Pradesh-based team was successful in winning an appeal at the Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS). The successful appeal meant Inter Kashi finished the season on 42 points, Churchill Brothers FC Goa on 40 and Real Kashmir FC on 37, which meant the team was crowned as I-League champions for the 2024-25 season.