Opinion: Is top-six playoffs in Indian Super League a good idea?

The league has recently announced the scrapping of its top-four playoffs rule.

The premier footballing competition in the country - the Indian Super League (ISL), has recently changed its playoffs policy. After the completion of the league stage, the third and fourth-placed teams are set to play the sixth and fifth-placed teams in a one-off fixture respectively, to join the first and second-placed teams in the playoff stages.

This is much different from the previous format where the top four sides automatically qualified for the playoffs. In this article, Khel Now looks at the implications that this change brings, and how it could affect the ISL.

Dilutes competition among teams

With six teams out of eleven in contention to make it to the Indian Super League playoffs, teams will have a lower incentive to push for spots. This in turn could mean an uninspired attempt at successful recruitment, preseason, and on-field performances.

The league could be on its way of missing out on the frantic race for qualification we witnessed this season. Strong sides like Mumbai City, Kerala Blasters, and Bengaluru FC were all vying for the fourth position in the league table.

The A-League, upon which the ISL often models itself, has retained its four-team playoff system ever since its inception.

More entertainment for the fans

More teams in contention to win the trophy means more fans backing their sides till the end of the season. The final weeks will see more teams playing for a cause and less dead rubber ties. More knockout games will draw more eyeballs from passionate and neutral fans alike.

This also promises an increase in viewership for these games. More drama and amusement awaits fans in an extended playoff round.

The Indian Super League has already struggled in quality after it reduced its foreigner limit in the playing eleven from five to four. However, this rule came as a blessing in disguise for the Indians, who had previously been restricted to more subservient roles in the eleven. Now, with 7 Indians starting, we saw a rapid increase in goals scored and created by Indians. National Team Head Coach Igor Stimac now has a larger pool of Indians to pick from.

However, this new structural change has very little technical merit to it. It may be attractive from a commercial viewpoint but undermines the consistency and the quality that teams needed before to make it to the final four.

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