Indian Super League

The Indian Super League (ISL) is a professional football league in India, which is the highest level of the Indian football league system. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Indian Football League. It is administered by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Until 2024–25 the season usually ran from September to April and included a 24-round regular season followed by playoffs involving the top six teams, culminating with the ISL Final to determine the ISL Cup winners. At the end of the regular season, the team with the most points was declared the ISL League winners and presented with the League Winners' Shield. From 2025–26 season onwards the team with the most points at the end of season is awarded with the ISL Trophy. ISL clubs qualify for AFC continental club competitions, with the league champions earning qualification for the subsequent season's AFC Champions League Two qualifying playoffs. The competition was founded on 21 October 2013 to grow the sport of football in India and increase its exposure in the country. Play began in October 2014 with eight teams. During its first three seasons, the competition operated without official recognition from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the governing body for the sport in Asia. It was structured along the same lines as the Indian Premier League, the country's biggest league. Each season lasted just three months, from October to December, and matches were held daily. However, before the 2017–18 season, the league expanded to ten clubs with Jamshedpur and Bengaluru joining, expanded its schedule to six months, and earned recognition from the AFC. Mohun Bagan and East Bengal joined the league in the 2020–21 season. With ATK disbanding, the 2020–21 season had 11 clubs competing. The ISL attained sole top-tier league status from the 2022–23 season, with the I-League demoted to the second tier. The 2023–24 season saw directly promoted club from the I-League participating in the ISL for the first time. Punjab FC, as the 2022–23 I-League champions, became the 12th league member. In subsequent years, Mohammedan and Inter Kashi joined the league as the 13th and 14th club respectively, as champions of the I-League. Since the league's inaugural season, six clubs have won the ISL trophy: ATK (3), Chennaiyin (2), Mumbai City (2), Mohun Bagan (2), Bengaluru (1), and Hyderabad (1). Since the introduction of the League Winners' Shield in the 2019–20 season, Mumbai City and Mohun Bagan have won it twice, while Goa and Jamshedpur have won it once each. In the 2024–25 season, Mohun Bagan became the first team to successfully defend the League Shield. Mohun Bagan also became the first team to earn 50 points or more in the league, setting a record with 56 points in the 2024–25 league season.