IFL 2026-27 season to kick off on October 30 with new venues

The Indian Football League (IFL) 2026-27 season will begin on October 30, 2026. The AIFF Governing Council announced new venues in Nagaland and Odisha and approved a rule allowing a maximum of three foreign players on the pitch at a time.

The Indian Football League (IFL) will kick off its 2026-27 season on October 30, with the upcoming campaign set to feature new venues in Nagaland, according to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) website.

The Governing Council of the IFL met at the Football House in New Delhi on Tuesday, with representatives of all 11 participating clubs in attendance. The Governing Council and the AIFF reviewed the 2025-26 IFL season, with the viewership figures and overall broadcast performance noted as hugely encouraging. The meeting noted that the viewership for the IFL was four times higher than in the 2024-25 season.

Key Decisions from Governing Council

The Governing Council confirmed that the 2026-27 IFL season will now commence on October 30, 2026. The Governing Council also approved a regulation permitting a maximum of three foreign players on the pitch at a time during IFL matches for the upcoming season.

The Council also welcomed Nagaland and Odisha as new venues for the 2026-27 season, further expanding the league’s footprint across the country. The IFL Charter for the upcoming season was discussed, along with the proposed budget and sponsorship packages.

AIFF Looks Forward to Full-Fledged Season

AIFF Deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan said, “It was a very cordial meeting, and we are happy that the new dates for the IFL season have now been confirmed. Last season, despite being a truncated campaign, the league generated a lot of interest, and the viewership figures were very encouraging. We are now looking forward to a full-fledged home-and-away season. With new entrants and new venues coming into the league, there is a lot to look forward to, and all of this will add to the excitement around the IFL.”

Broadcast Partnership Discussed

As part of the preparations for the 2026-27 season, representatives of the IFL clubs and the AIFF Deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan also met Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi in New Delhi on Monday. Discussions focused on the broadcast partnership for the upcoming season, with both sides hopeful of another successful collaboration. (ANI)

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