AIFF announces IWL and IWL 2 start dates
IWL will start from 16th October.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced the start dates for the 2026-27 seasons of the Indian Women’s League (IWL) and Indian Women’s League 2 (IWL 2), India’s top two tiers of women’s club football.
The Indian Women’s League will get underway from October 16, 2026, with eight clubs set to compete in the upcoming season — six from last season (East Bengal FC, Sethu FC, Kickstart FC, Nita FA, Gokulam Kerala FC, and Garhwal United FC) and two promoted from last season’s IWL 2 (HOPS FC and Juba Sangha FC).
The Indian Women’s League 2 group stage will commence on October 23, with 20 clubs divided into four groups of five. The group winners and the two best second-placed teams will advance to the six-team final round, which will begin on November 25.
Further details regarding the participating teams and fixtures will be announced in due course.
Eight teams to compete in the IWL 2026-27 season
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The AIFF League Committee has approved an enhancement of the minimum coaching licence requirements for both the Indian Women’s League and IWL 2, effective from the 2027-28 season.
For the IWL, the Head Coach will be required to hold an AFC A Licence, while the Assistant Coach will require an AFC B Licence. For IWL 2, the minimum requirement will be an AFC B Licence for the Head Coach and an AFC C Licence for the Assistant Coach.
The decision is aimed at strengthening technical standards and supporting the continued professionalisation of women’s football competitions in India.
To provide greater opportunities for players and ensure a broader competitive pool, the Committee has also decided that a player registered or signed for an IWL club will not be eligible to participate in IWL 2 during the same season.
AIFF plans major expansion targets 12 teams by 2032
The IWL disciplinary regulations relating to yellow-card accumulation have also been revised. Under the revised regulations, the first suspension will be triggered after three yellow cards, followed by a suspension after every two additional yellow cards.
Looking beyond the upcoming season, the League Committee discussed a long-term expansion strategy for the Indian Women’s League. The IWL currently comprises eight teams, with the Committee targeting an expansion to 10 teams by the 2028-29 season and ultimately to 12 teams by 2032.
The Committee also aims to increase the number of IWL matches to approximately 90 by the 2028-29 season.
The expansion is intended to provide players with greater competitive exposure and playing time, strengthen the professional women’s football ecosystem, create a larger pool of players for the national team and contribute towards improving India’s position in international women’s football.
When will the 2026-27 Indian Women’s League begin?
The 2026-27 Indian Women’s League season will begin on October 16, 2026.
Which teams are playing in the Indian Women’s League 2026-27?
The six teams from last season are East Bengal FC, Sethu FC, Kickstart FC, Nita FA, Gokulam Kerala FC and Garhwal United FC. Promoted Indian Women’s League 2 teams HOPS FC and Juba Sangha FC will complete the eight-team lineup.
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