Now Reading: ISL season postponed to October with 13 teams after Diamond Harbour exits
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ISL season postponed to October with 13 teams after Diamond Harbour exits
The Indian Super League (ISL) 2026-27 season will start after October 6, more than a month later than its original September 4 kick-off, sports.ndtv.com reports. The league will proceed with 13 teams after Diamond Harbour FC, winners of the Indian Football League 2025-26, failed to pay the second instalment of its Rs 55 lakh participation fee by the Wednesday deadline.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed the delay is due to the FIFA international match window from September 21 to October 6. Churchill Brothers paid the full Rs 1.1 crore fee on August 14 after Jamshedpur FC sold its stake and withdrew from the league. Meanwhile, the AIFF has condemned what it calls unverified claims about its finances, including the decision to prioritise a friendly against Brazil over the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, and warned of legal action against those spreading false statements.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The sports.ndtv.com article reports the postponement and Diamond Harbour's exit as straightforward developments, with no critical framing of the AIFF. The federation's defensive statement on its finances and the Brazil friendly is reproduced without challenge. A careful reader should note that while the delay and team reduction are factual, the AIFF's legal threat suggests it faces significant, though unnamed, criticism. The key figure to watch is Diamond Harbour's forfeited participation: it leaves the ISL with an odd number of teams, which may affect scheduling or invite a replacement.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): sports.ndtv.com (neutral report), sports.ndtv.com (2) (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
