ISL 2026-27: Chennaiyin FC fixtures for Phase 1

The Marina Machans finished 13th in the 2025-26 ISL.

Chennaiyin FC, who escaped relegation in the last ISL season partly because Mohammedan SC struggled with the absence of foreign players and were unable to make signings due to a transfer ban, are not messing around this time.

The club have made their ambitions for the upcoming season clear through the transfer business they have done over the summer.

The most important and bold decision made by the club was to hand Clifford Miranda a contract extension after the Goan head coach did his best with the limited resources at his disposal last season. However, he would be the first to admit that he could have achieved more than a 13th place finish.

The Marina Machans have released as many as 15 first team players from last season’s squad, parting ways with senior players such as Pritam Kotal, Ankit Mukherjee, Farukh Choudhary and Mandar Rao Dessai. They have also released all six foreign players who represented the club last season.

The club have gone on to bring in as many as 17 new players to the first team, including five foreign signings alongside several key domestic additions. Brison Fernandes and Ayush Chhetri remain among their best domestic signings, while Bryce Miranda and Shubham Rawat have both been signed from IFL clubs.

Madih Talal and Nikola Stojanovic, who donned the colours of Jamshedpur FC last season, have joined the club, while Nuno Reis arrives from Mumbai City FC to add valuable ISL experience to the backline. Rwanda international Emmanuel Imanishimwe and Brazilian striker Ramon Tanque complete the foreign contingent.

With 17 new faces and 15 departures, Clifford Miranda looks set to have overseen a complete overhaul following last season’s disappointing campaign.

Can he turn things around and repay the faith shown in him by the management? Or are the two-time ISL champions heading towards yet another underwhelming season?

Chennaiyin FC to feature on the opening day of ISL 2026-27

Chennaiyin FC, like last season, are expected to face issues with the availability of their home ground for the opening few games and will play their first three matches away from home before returning to the Marina Arena for three consecutive home games.

The Marina Machans are set to feature on the ISL opening day for only the second time in the history of the league, having previously played against Atletico de Kolkata in 2015 at the Marina Arena.

This time, they will face the same team they dramatically defeated in the ISL final that year, FC Goa, at the Fatorda Stadium on October 10, 2026, at 19:30 IST.

Also Read: ISL 2026-27: Odisha FC fixtures for Phase 1

Following that, they will travel to Sree Kanteerava and Salt Lake to face Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan SG before returning home to face their fierce rivals, Kerala Blasters, in the Southern Derby.

Two more home games against East Bengal and Punjab FC will follow, before they hit the road again to face Mumbai City FC and NorthEast United FC.

They will then return to the Marina Arena for another three-game home stretch. Following the home fixtures against Churchill Brothers, Inter Kashi FC and Odisha FC, they will head to the capital to face Sporting Club Delhi in their final fixture of Phase 1.

Chennaiyin FC’s fixtures for Phase 1 of ISL 2026-27

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