ISL 2026-27 to start on October 10; Diamond Harbour given new deadline
AIFF gives Diamond Harbour FC until 2 pm on August 19 to clear their second participation fee instalment
The Indian Super League (ISL) is set to return on October 10, 2026, with the 2026-27 season expected to bring back a longer seven-month campaign after the truncated previous edition.
Khel Now can reveal that the new ISL season is scheduled to begin on October 10 and run until April-May 2027, giving clubs a significantly longer competitive calendar.
The upcoming campaign will also mark the start of the league’s new club-led model, with participating clubs taking collective responsibility for the competition’s commercial and operational side.
However, uncertainty remains about the final number of teams participating in the 2026-27 season, as Diamond Harbour FC has yet to complete its participation fee payments to the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Diamond Harbour get final deadline
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Diamond Harbour FC missed the August 14 deadline to pay the second instalment of their mandatory participation fee.
The club had already completed the first instalment after the AIFF adjusted the ₹55 lakh against the prize money owed to Diamond Harbour following their Indian Football League 2025-26 title win.
However, the club has yet to clear the remaining ₹55 lakh and subsequently requested additional time from the AIFF.
Khel Now understands that the federation has now given Diamond Harbour a final deadline of 2 pm on August 19, 2026, to complete the payment.
“If Diamond Harbour do not pay their pending participant fee by 2pm on August 19, then the ISL 2026-27 will go ahead with 13 teams and no new team will be added,”, a source tracking the development told Khel Now.
This means the league’s final composition could be decided within the next 24 hours.
Also Read: Explained: ISL 2026-27 club-led model
Jamshedpur FC withdraw, Churchill Brothers in line
The 2026-27 season will also see a change in the league’s club structure.
Jamshedpur FC have withdrawn from the ISL, while Churchill Brothers are in line to take over their sporting licence after agreeing to acquire Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited (JFSPL) from Tata Steel for ₹100.
Churchill Brothers have already paid the full ₹1.10 crore participation fee for the upcoming season, and their participation is confirmed.
13 clubs complete ISL participation fee payments
As reported by Khel Now earlier, 13 ISL clubs, including Churchill Brothers, completed the participation-fee process after paying the second instalment on August 14, 2026.
Each participating club was required to pay ₹1.10 crore to the AIFF for the season, split into two equal instalments of ₹55 lakh.
Diamond Harbour remain the only club yet to clear the outstanding payment.
The AIFF set August 14 as the deadline for the second instalment, but Diamond Harbour’s request for additional time has led the federation to give the club one final opportunity to complete the payment.
With October 10 now set as the start date, clubs have less than two months to finalise their squads and complete preparations for the new season. The bigger question, however, remains off the pitch, with the clubs still needing to secure a new broadcasting partner before the first season of the ISL’s club-led era gets underway.
That makes the next few weeks particularly important, with the league’s sporting preparations moving ahead while one of its biggest commercial pieces is still to be resolved.
When will the ISL 2026-27 season begin?
The ISL 2026-27 season will begin on October 10, 2026, marking the start of the new seven-month campaign.
How much is the ISL participation fee for 2026-27?
Each club is required to pay ₹1.10 crore, divided into two instalments of ₹55 lakh each.
Will Churchill Brothers play in ISL 2026-27?
Churchill Brothers are in line to replace Jamshedpur FC after agreeing to acquire JFSPL and its ISL sporting licence. However, the transfer remains subject to the necessary approvals.
Will Diamond Harbour FC play in the ISL 2026-27 season?
Their participation depends on completing the outstanding payment within the deadline given by the AIFF. If they fail to do so, the league is expected to proceed with 13 teams.
What is different about the ISL 2026-27 season?
The 2026-27 campaign will be the first season under the new club-led model, with clubs taking greater responsibility for the league’s commercial and operational matters while the AIFF continues to oversee sporting matters.
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Ashish Negi is the co-founder and CEO of Khel Now. A computer engineering graduate from LPU (2015), he has been closely following and covering Indian football and sports since 2007. He started the Indian Football Team Facebook page in 2013 and later handed it over to the AIFF in 2015 when it had grown to over 500K followers. Ashish continues to drive Khel Now’s vision while staying deeply connected to the pulse of Indian sport.