2 min readUpdated: Aug 20, 2026 12:11 AM IST
The 2026/27 season of the Indian Super League (ISL) will have only 13 clubs as opposed to 14 last year. While the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in its statement didn’t name the club that has been excluded, it is reliably learnt that it is the West Bengal-based Diamond Harbour FC, who earned promotion to the ISL by winning the Indian Football League (IFL) last season.
The AIFF stated that the league will follow a double round-robin format, thus potentially doing away with the knockout stage that came at the end of the season for the ISL Cup and an ISL Shield which was awarded to the team that finished top in the league stage.
“The All India Football Federation, on behalf of the AIFF and the participating clubs, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, confirmed that the Indian Super League 2026-27 season will proceed with 13 participating clubs, playing in a double round-robin format on a home-and-away basis,” said the federation in a statement issued late Wednesday night
“The kick-off date for the ISL 2026-27 season will be announced in due course.”
Diamond Harbour have been excluded after they on Wednesday missed the deadline that was set by the AIFF to pay the second instalment of the participation fee for the ISL. The Indian Express had earlier reported that the club is in a non-functional state and faces an uncertain future following the 2026 West Bengal legislative assembly elections, with the ‘chief patron’ of the club being the general secretary of Trinamool Congress, Abhishek Banerjee.
Diamond Harbour had turned heads last season when they ran to the final of the Durand Cup. On the way, they beat East Bengal, who went on to win their first top flight league title in 22 years, in the semifinal 2-1. They then won the IFL, which was played in two stages, finishing the season with 12 points in nine games.
