When will Indian football transfer window open?
The summer transfer window will run from June 12 to August 31, 2026
The Indian Football season 2025-26 came to an end on 21st May as East Bengal FC lifted their first-ever ISL 2025-26 trophy under the leadership of head coach Oscar Bruzon. East Bengal FC also managed to clinch the IWL 2025-26 trophy. From the Durand Cup to the Federation Cup, everything was completed last season in a fast-paced manner.
After the 2025-26 season ended, a new season is fast approaching as the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) have already announced the 2026-27 season’s tentative schedule.
The Durand Cup is expected to start the new season from somewhere around next month, and then ISL is expected to be back in proper manner with a long seven-month schedule. Along with that, there will be Federation Cup as well.
With the new season fast approaching, the transfer window is in full swing as clubs look to strengthen their squads. Mohun Bagan SG have already begun their recruitment drive, securing the signings of Samir Zeljković from Punjab FC and Dejan Drazic from FC Goa.
In this article we take a look at the transfer window schedule.
The transfer season begins in Indian football
Several clubs have already started to look for their new recruits for their team. Especially, the two Kolkata giants, East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan SG. They are the frontrunners right now as they are getting linked to a lot of players in the last couple of days.
The men’s season will run from 1st June 2026 to 31st May 2027. The new season is set to start with the Durand Cup 2026 as the meetings are ongoing regarding the competition. And then after the Durand Cup, the time will be locked in for a seven-month-long ISL season.
The first transfer window, also known as the summer transfer window, opened on 12 June and will remain open until 31 August 2026. Meanwhile the second transfer window, also known as the winter transfer window, will be open from 1st January 2027 to 31st January 2027.
For the women’s football, the season will start from 1st June 2026 to 31st May 2027. The first registration period opened on 12 June and will remain active until 31 August 2026, while the second registration period is scheduled from 1 January 2027 to 31 January 2027.
Talking about the amateur division for both men’s and women’s players, the transfer window will run from 1st June 2026 to 31st May 2027.
When does the Indian football summer transfer window open?
The summer transfer window for the 2026-27 season opened on 12th June 2026 and will remain open until 31st August 2026.
When is the winter transfer window scheduled in Indian football?
The winter transfer window will be open from 1st January 2027 to 31st January 2027.
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Rohit Mistri is a sports journalist from Kolkata with over two years of experience in the field. He has extensively covered Indian football, including major tournaments such as the Calcutta Football League and the Indian Super League. His work spans on-ground reporting, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling, along with interviews of prominent sporting personalities. Rohit brings strong communication skills and a deep passion for sports narratives to everything he writes.