2026/27 ISL to Feature 13 Clubs Following Diamond Harbour FC Deadline Miss
· Sports · Indian Express, NDTV Sports
The 2026/27 season of the Indian Super League will feature 13 clubs instead of 14 after West Bengal-based Diamond Harbour FC missed the AIFF deadline to pay the second instalment of their participation fee. The AIFF confirmed that the league will follow a double round-robin format on a home-and-away basis, potentially eliminating the knockout stage for the ISL Cup and the ISL Shield. Diamond Harbour FC earned promotion to the top flight by winning the Indian Football League last season and previously reached the Durand Cup final. The club has faced an uncertain future following the 2026 West Bengal legislative assembly elections, with Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee serving as its chief patron.
Why it matters
The exclusion reduces the ISL lineup and alters tournament formatting by dropping the traditional knockout stage for the upcoming season.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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