Exclusive: MG to become ISL title sponsor in deal worth over ₹25 crore; league to be known as MG ISL
India’s top football league will have its first title sponsor since Hero MotoCorp left after the 2022-23 season.
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MG Motor are set to become the title sponsor of the Indian Super League (ISL) on a two-year deal worth over ₹25 crore, Khel Now can exclusively reveal.
The final paperwork between the two parties is in its final stage and is expected to be signed soon.
Going forward, the competition will be known as the MG Indian Super League (MG ISL), with the MG logo added to the league’s crest.
“MG Motor have agreed to a deal with the Indian Super League to be the title sponsor of the league for the next two seasons, in a deal worth over ₹25 crore,” a source tracking the sponsorship market in Indian sport told Khel Now.
MG cars will also be awarded to the league’s best players at the end of the season.
A title sponsor for the first time since Hero
The Indian Super League has been without a title sponsor since Hero MotoCorp ended its long-standing association with the league after the 2022-23 season.
Hero had been a title sponsor since the ISL’s inaugural season in 2014 and stayed with the competition for close to a decade.
Over that period the company also backed several other major Indian football competitions, including the I-League – now the Indian Football League, the women’s league and the national championships. It was also associated with the Indian national teams and sponsored the Intercontinental Cup.
Hero chose not to renew after 2022-23, and the league has carried no title sponsor in the three seasons since.
ISL 2026-27 opens on October 10
The Indian Super League returns on Saturday, October 10, 2026 with a double header.
Bengaluru FC open the campaign against Sporting Club Delhi at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium at 5:00 PM IST, while FC Goa face Chennaiyin FC at the Fatorda Stadium at 7:30 PM IST.
Phase 1 will feature 78 matches between October 10, 2026 and January 17, 2027, with 53 of them scheduled for Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. Most games kick off at 5:00 PM or 7:30 PM IST.
The league will also expand into Manipur, with NorthEast United FC facing Sporting Club Delhi at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal on November 24, 2026.
Club-led structure takes centre stage
The 2026-27 campaign marks the start of the ISL’s club-led structure, with participating clubs taking on greater responsibility for the league’s commercial and operational side.
The league has already secured several major agreements under the new structure. As Khel Now reported earlier, the Indian Super League and EA Sports have agreed a new four-year licensing deal that will keep the league in EA Sports FC games throughout the partnership.
The ISL has also signed a four-year agreement with Sportradar, worth around ₹57 crore, making Sportradar the league’s official data and integrity partner until 2030.
Nivia Sports has extended its association through a new two-year agreement, continuing as the league’s official ball and equipment partner.
The league is in talks with other companies for its remaining sponsorship positions.
Who is the ISL title sponsor?
MG, on a two-year deal worth over ₹25 crore running from the 2026-27 season. The competition will be known as the MG Indian Super League.
When does the ISL 2026-27 season start?
Saturday, October 10, 2026, with a double-header: Bengaluru FC v Sporting Club Delhi at 5:00 PM IST and FC Goa v Chennaiyin FC at 7:30 PM IST.
Who was the ISL’s last title sponsor?
Hero MotoCorp, title sponsor from the league’s first season in 2014 until the end of 2022-23. The ISL has had no title sponsor in the three seasons since.
How many matches are in ISL 2026-27 Phase 1?
78, played between October 10, 2026 and January 17, 2027, with 53 of them on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays.
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