Panaji: After a late start and a truncated season that saw teams play just 13 matches, the top tier Indian Super League (ISL) returns to its traditional home-and-away format and will kick off on Oct 10.The league for the first time will have a new club-led model, where the participating clubs collectively have 90% of the economic interest in the league structure with All India Football Federation (AIFF) retaining 10% ownership and governance participation.The season will see a total of 163 matches being played across eight months of competition. The toppers, like in the past, will pick up the Shield and the lone spot in continental competitions, while six top teams will battle for the ISL Cup in a playoff format.There won’t be relegation since second tier Indian Football League (IFL) champions Diamond Harbour FC – who failed to pay their participation fee due to internal issues – will be placed at the bottom of the table and will be in no position to accumulate points.“It’s been a hard road to get here, and honestly, it’s going to stay hard for a while,” said FC Goa CEO and ISL managing committee member Ravi Puskur. “There’s no version of this where we arrive somewhere finished and say ‘there, done.’ We are going to have to build this road while we are already driving on it. That’s just the truth of where Indian football is right now.”These are not exactly the best of times for Indian football or the top tier league.Jamshedpur FC shut shop and sold their shares to Churchill Brothers FC; Kerala Blasters FC are awaiting an ownership change and haven’t started pre-season training, Inter Kashi are expected to have new investors, while Odisha FC are hoping their differences with the state govt are a thing of the past.Except for Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal, most teams have played it safe while building teams this season.Yet, the new season shows hope.For the first time, the clubs find themselves in the driver’s seat to steer Indian football. They hold the reins to decisions and direction. It’s in their hands to deliver a comprehensive calendar of competitive football, greater investment in Indian talent, and a stronger, more sustainable ecosystem for the sport to grow.“We are trying to have a league that’s more open, more inclusive, and held to a higher standard,” said Puskur.The organisers said Churchill Brothers’ participation is subject to regulatory approvals since the Goan club have stepped into the boots of Jamshedpur FC. Last month, Tata Steel decided to transfer its 100% stake in Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited (JFSPL), the company that owns Jamshedpur FC, to Churchill for a nominal consideration of ₹100.
