EXCLUSIVE: IWL 2025-26 to kick off in November, pause in January for AFC Women's Asian Cup preparations

IWL calendar reshuffle raises questions ahead of AFC Women’s Asian Cup

The Indian Women’s League (IWL) 2025-26 season is now set to begin on November 2,instead of the originally planned September window.

The league will run until January 5, 2026, before pausing to accommodate the Indian Women’s football team’s final preparations for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, which will be held in Australia from March 1 to 21. The IWL will resume once the continental tournament concludes.

“The IWL will now begin on November 2 and run until January 5, after which it will pause for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup preparations. The league will resume once the continental tournament in Australia concludes,” a source close to the development revealed to Khel Now.

Also Read: India drawn in Group C of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 alongside Japan, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei

Senior Women’s Nationals to be held in September

Interestingly, the Senior Women’s National Football Championship (Rajmata Jijabai Trophy) group stage is being scheduled from September 1 to 16 the final round to be completed before the IWL kicks off in November.

In July, the AIFF had outlined a roadmap promising 83 days of training camps, 10–12 international friendlies, and five to seven domestic games, alongside a full IWL season starting in September. That setup would have offered players steady competitive rhythm heading into Australia. The shift in dates has therefore led to fresh questions.

The original plan, however, had the IWL starting on September 25, giving the Blue Tigresses valuable game time before the Asian Cup.

To facilitate uninterrupted national team preparation in the lead-up to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, it was also suggested that the Senior Women’s National Football Championship for the Rajmata Jijabai Trophy 2025-26 be scheduled after the conclusion of the continental tournament.

Now, with the revised structure, the IWL kicks off much later and takes a mid-season pause, raising eyebrows about how effectively the calendar is being aligned with the national team’s priorities.

Youth participation and Indian Arrows dilemma in IWL

On the youth front, the Indian U17 women’s team will represent the Indian Arrows, but a call on the U20 side is still pending. The original plan also included the U20 women’s team featuring in the IWL through the Arrows project, alongside eight senior clubs playing 14 games each.

Since many U20 players have already signed contracts with clubs, fielding a full Arrows team at that level has become complicated.

“While most U20 players are already signed with clubs, we have registered the U17 side under the Arrows project. A final call on the U20 team’s participation will be taken shortly, ” the source added.

AIFF’s July roadmap raises further questions

With India on the cusp of a historic opportunity and growing global attention on women’s football, the scheduling shuffle has left many fans puzzled. Why was the IWL, originally planned for September, pushed back to November — especially when the national team needs competitive exposure?

India have been drawn into Group C of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 alongside Japan, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei, setting up a demanding test for the returning Blue Tigresses.

For now, the balancing act between domestic competition and international preparation remains delicate, but what’s certain is that the Blue Tigresses cannot afford disruptions in their buildup to the Asian Cup.

India’s schedule in AFC Women’s Asian Cup:

• March 4, 2026: Vietnam vs India, Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth
• March 7, 2026: India vs Japan, Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth
• March 10, 2026: India vs Chinese Taipei, Western Sydney Stadium, Sydney

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.