Page 2 - Indian Super League

Indian Super League: Caught in offside trap, waiting for SC to resume play

Uncertainty over renewal of 15-year master rights deal halts India's top league

Manolo Marquez to continue with FC Goa after stepping down as India coach

After stepping down as Indian men's football team head coach earlier this month, Spaniard Manolo Marquez on Friday re-joined FC Goa to helm the club for the 2025-26 season. FC Goa announced that Marquez has signed to continue as the head coach for the upcoming season, his third at the club. "No one forgets the Don and the Don never forgets home. Welcome Back Boss," FC Goa posted on their social media handle. I was very happy during the previous two seasons, where the team showed consistent improvement each year. The level of organisation that the club operates with is not commonly observed in Indian club football, making FC Goa a very special club, Marquez said of his return in a club statement. It was clear for me that if I were to continue in India, it had to be with FC Goa, he added. The Indian Super League, the country's top-tier competition is, however, on "hold" due to the uncertainty over the issue of the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement -- to expire on December 8 --

Indian Super League: Punjab FC extend Leon Augustine's contract until 2027

Punjab FC on Friday announced the extension of the contract of Leon Augustine ahead of the upcoming Indian Super League season. The versatile player will remain at the club until 2027. Leon's extension is in line with the club's intent to retain its core and continue building a competitive squad for the season with Leon expected to feature in head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis's side. The 26-year old Leon signed for The Shers in the 2023-24 season and will continue his journey with the club after some impressive performances last season, where he played in multiple positions across the field for the club. After making only four total appearances in his first season at the club, Leon made 20 appearances in the ISL last season, playing 1020 minutes and scoring once against Odisha FC. Speaking on the contract extensions of the players, head coach Panagiotis Dilimperis said, "Leon is a hardworking and versatile player who brings great value to our squad, both in attack and in defence.

India's football ecosystem is scared with uncertainty: Chhetri on ISL pause

Former captain and top striker Sunil Chhetri on Wednesday said the current state of "uncertainty" in Indian football is very concerning and the sport's ecosystem is "worried, hurt, and scared" by the top-tier ISL being put on hold indefinitely. Chhetri, who turns up for Bengaluru FC in the league, said he has been inundated with phone calls and messages expressing apprehensions about the future of the sport in the country. "It began with worrying about how I am on borrowed time with what I have left in the tank. But speaking with players from across clubs, I've realised that my selfish problem isn't as important," the 40-year-old Chhetri posted on X. "The current situation that Indian football finds itself in, is very concerning. I've received a flurry of texts from players, staff members, physios, masseurs - not just from my club, but from other clubs as well. "Everybody in the Indian football ecosystem is worried, hurt, scared about the uncertainty we are faced with," he added.

ISL 2025-2026 season put 'on hold' due to uncertainty over MRA renewal

The Indian Super League on Friday announced that it has put the 2025-26 season "on hold" due to uncertainty surrounding the renewal of Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between the event organisers and the All India Football Federation. The country's top-tier league normally runs from September to April, and the current MRA between Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which organises the event, and the AIFF is scheduled to expire on December 8, 2025, by which the ISL would be into its third month. "In the absence of a confirmed contractual framework beyond December, we find ourselves unable to effectively plan, organise, or commercialise the 2025-26 ISL season. "Given this situation, we regret to inform you that we are currently not in a position to proceed with the 2025-26 ISL season and are placing it on hold until further clarity emerges on the contractual structure beyond end of current MRA term. "We assure you that this decision has not been taken lightly," FSDL said in a .

Mohun Bagan SG wins ISL Cup, seals double with League Shield triumph

Mohun Bagan Super Giant on Saturday secured a memorable Indian Super League double, lifting the ISL Cup after beating Bengaluru FC 2-1 in a tense final here to add to the League Winners' Shield it had won earlier in the season. After a goal-less first half, Mohun Bagan's Alberto Rodrguez scored an own goal in the 49th minute to give Bengaluru FC the lead. Mohun Bagan striker Jason Cummings then struck from the penalty spot to restore parity in the 72nd minute. The match went into the extra time and Jamie Maclaren scored the decisive goal after six minutes (96th) to the wild celebrations of the vociferous Mohun Bagan supporters at the Salt Lake Stadium. Mohun Bagan thus became only the second team in the ISL history to clinch the League Winners' Shield as well as the ISL Cup in the same season, after Mumbai City did the same in the 2020-21. The top team in the points table after home and away league matches among the 13 participating clubs wins the League Winners' Shield. Mohun Baga

ISL 2025: Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan set to lock horns in title showdown

League winners Mohun Bagan will fancy their chances of completing a double notwithstanding the challenge staring at them in the form of a formidable Bengaluru FC side in the final of the ISL Cup here on Saturday. The match will be played at MBSG's fortress Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) with a packed stadium rooting for them, but BFC remain unperturbed as they head into what is expected to be a blockbuster clash. Mohun Bagan Super Giant coach Jose Molina spoke about not caring about what happened in the past, while BFC gaffer Gerard Zaragoza and captain Gurpreet Singh Sandhu called Kolkata a second home. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Molina stressed on the importance of looking forward and not worrying about the past. "I don't care about what happened in the past. I am trying to do my best for Mohun Bagan Super Giant. We did well to win the League Shield and we are motivated to win the ISL Cup too. "I don't need extra motivation from the fact that we lost

ISL 2024-25 playoffs: Full schedule, teams, format and live streaming

The Indian Super League (ISL) on Saturday announced the dates for the 2024-25 playoffs with two-legged semifinals scheduled between April 2-6 and the final to be played on April 12. The league stage concluded on March 12. The Knockouts will be played on March 29 and 30, and the semifinals will be held on April 2, 3, 6 and 7. Mohun Bagan SG created history by clinching the League Shield for the second season in a row, becoming the first team in the competition to do so. Along with Mohun Bagan SG, FC Goa (2nd), Bengaluru FC (3rd), NorthEast United FC (4th), Jamshedpur FC (5th) and Mumbai City FC (6th) all confirmed their spots in the playoffs. In the playoffs, the teams ranked third to sixth will battle it out in two single-legged knockout matches to determine the opponents for Mohun Bagan SG and FC Goa, who made it directly to the semi-finals. The semi-finals will be played in a home and away format with the winners over the two legs playing the final on April 12 at the home of th

ISL 2025: Kerela FC plays out 1-1 draw with Hyderabad FC to finish 8th

Hyderabad FC held Kerala Blasters FC to a 1-1 draw in the Indian Super League here on Wednesday. This was the last league-stage encounter of the season, as Kerala Blasters FC wrapped the campaign in eighth spot with 29 points, whereas Hyderabad FC finished in the penultimate place with 18 points. Kerala Blasters FC began the game on the front-foot, with Korou Singh and Mohammed Aimen interlinking to cause movements inside the Hyderabad FC box within the opening five minutes. Korou's cross was shot by Aimen but thwarted for a corner, from which the latter supplied a teasing delivery for Duan Lagator, which was headed in from close range into the bottom right corner in the seventh minute to secure the advantage for the visitors. Aimen and Adrian Luna joined hands around the 20th minute mark, with the latter serving a pass from well around 35 yards out. Aimen backed his instincts to go for a long-range effort and did well to land the shot on target, but Arshdeep Singh held his compos

ISL: Bengaluru FC qualify for play-offs with 1-0 win over Chennaiyin FC

Bengaluru FC secured qualification to the play-offs and ended Chennaiyin FC's race for the top six after a 1-0 win in their Indian Super League match here on Tuesday. Chennaiyin FC, who now have 24 points from 22 games, will not make the playoffs, whereas the Blues see themselves at the third spot courtesy 37 points as a result of this triumph. The Gerard Zaragoza-coached side held 57.1 per cent of the possession and were constantly in the hunt for goals, though their only strike of the night came through Rahul Bheke's emphatic finish inside the box in the first half. Prior to that, though, Chennaiyin FC had nearly cracked the code to carve open the Bengaluru FC defence in the ninth minute, with Jiteshwor Singh leading the move down the centre of the park before distributing the ball to the flanks to try and spot openings inside the home team's defensive third. The Marina Machans moved the ball slickly on the up from the right flank before Connor Shields glided in and hurled a cros

Mohun Bagan SG become first team to defend Indian Super League title

Mohun Bagan Super Giant on Sunday became the first team in Indian Super League (ISL) history to defend the title with a 1-0 win over Odisha FC here. By virtue of clinching the ISL Shield, MBSG also booked a berth in the AFC Champions League 2, the continent's second tier club competition. After the win in their 22nd league game, Mohun Bagan Super Giant secured 52 points and emerged Shield Winners with two matches to spare. Their nearest rivals, FC Goa, have collected 42 points from 21 matches, and they cannot catch MBSG even if they win all their remaining three matches. MBSG had won the 2023-24 season League Shield with 50 points.

ISL 2025: Check the full playoff qualification scenario of the top 12 teams

So far, bottom-placed Mohammedan FC is the only team to be mathematically eliminated from the playoff race

ISL: Punjab FC notch first win after 7 games, beat Bengaluru FC 3-2

Punjab FC defeated Bengaluru FC 3-2 to snap their seven-game-long winless run in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday. The home team made an emphatic comeback that saw them strike thrice in the second half to get all the three points from the match. They stay in ninth spot in the standings with 23 points to their kitty. Alberto Noguera pulled off a slick corner kick in the 23rd minute, well-directed to Sunil Chhetri on the far post that produced Bengaluru FC's first concrete chance of the game. Chhetri's headed effort was aimed on target but blocked in time to keep the scores level. Noguera replicated a similar delivery from another corner kick in the 36th minute, this time from the left side. He attempted a different route this time, giving the ball to Rahul Bheke who was placed at a distance down the centre. Bheke thundered his shot above the post though as he couldn't keep his effort on target. Muhammad Suhail came close to breaking the

ISL 2024: NorthEast United FC come from behind to beat Hyderabad FC 5-2

NorthEast United FC came from two goals behind to secure a 5-2 victory against Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) here on Monday. Hyderabad FC, who had conceded six goals post the 60th minute mark this season prior to this match, added three more to that tally as NorthEast United FC struck thrice in the final 30-odd minutes. Hyderabad FC pressed on the offensive from the beginning, as Edmilson Correia took the onus with a solo effort in the fifth minute. He dazzled into the box from the left flank and beat challenges from Dinesh Singh and Asheer Akhtar with some quick footwork to drill the ball into the bottom left corner to get an early lead. Seven minutes later, Cy Goddard controlled the ball impeccably in a pocket of space down the middle outside of the 18-yard box. He played a pass for Sourav K on the right flank and his perfectly weighted cross was met on the bounce by Correia before he dispatched it into the bottom right corner to notch his brace. While the home si

ISL 2024: Mumbai climb to 4th; East Bengal make it 4 wins in 5 games

Nikolaos Karelis' early strike earned Mumbai City FC a 1-0 victory over Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League here on Saturday before East Bengal FC triumphed over Jamshedpur FC 1-0 in Kolkata for their fourth win in last five games. With their victory, Mumbai City FC moved from the seventh place to the fourth spot in the points table, accumulating 20 points from 12 games with five victories. This match also marked the third straight away game where the Marina Machans were unable to find the back of the net. At the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, marksman Dimitrios Diamantakos (60th minute) was the only player on target for the home side as they maintained their mid-season rise under their new tactician Oscar Bruzon. While the Red & Golds secured their fourth win in their last five matches in the competition, Jamshedpur FC, on the other hand, were inefficient in creating and finishing chances. Jamshedpur FC were the team on the ascendency in the first 10 minutes

Clean sheet and two goals propel Mohun Bagan Super Giant to top of table

Mohun Bagan Super Giant extended their positive form with a 2-0 win over NorthEast United FC to move to the top of the table in the Indian Super League here on Sunday. Two sublime strikes from Manvir Singh and Liston Colaco in the second half gave the Mariners all three points. With this win, they also went top of the table with 23 points. The first real chance of the match came Mohun Bagan Super Giant's way when Liston Colaco struck the post in the 10th minute after beating a couple of defenders on his way before pulling the trigger. The opening goal came in the 65th minute when Manvir Singh made a beautiful cut in from the right flank before nestling the ball into the top left corner before the Highlanders' backline including Gurmeet could even react. The goal almost came against the run of play where the hosts were looking like the better team, especially in the second half. The goal saw a massive shift in momentum for the visitors as they held more possession and started creati

ISL 2024: Chhetri becomes oldest ISL hat-trick scorer in Bengaluru's win

The legendary Sunil Chhetri etched his name in the Indian Super League (ISL) record books on Saturday, becoming the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the league's history as he powered Bengaluru FC to a commanding 4-2 victory over Kerala Blasters. At 40 years and 126 days, Chhetri became the oldest hat-trick scorer in the ISL history, surpassing Bartholomew Ogbeche who did it for Hyderabad FC against FC Goa at 38 years and 96 days old in January 2023. The former India captain, who retired from international football earlier this year, struck in the 8th, 73rd and 90+8 minutes, while Ryan Williams scored the other goal for the Blues in the 38th minute. Jesus Jimenez (56th) and Freddy Lallawmawma (67th) were the goal scorers for Kerala Blasters. Bengaluru FC were clinical in converting the limited opportunities that they created, as four of their five shots on target resulted in goals. The duo of Chhetri and Williams were critical in helping the Blues take a 2-0 advantage in the

ISL 2024-25: Bengaluru FC aims to ride on unbeaten form to outwit FC Goa

Bengaluru FC and FC Goa are set to rekindle their animating rivalry when they clash during an Indian Super League (ISL) match here on Saturday. A battle of two former champions, they have had contrasting forms this season. However, given the amount of talented players in their arsenal, coupled with the rivalry, it is expected to be another thriller. While FC Goa is decent at home, it has been winless in its previous four home ties -- its longest such streak in the ISL. However, the Gaurs can take one positive from their head coach, Manolo Marquez, who has had an admirable record versus BFC, having not lost in an outing against the Blues in his eight face-offs. Bengaluru and East Bengal FC are the two teams that he has faced at least thrice so far in the ISL, but he is yet to lose. The Blues presently are on 16 points from six outings -- their second-best start to an ISL season - only behind the 2018-19 campaign when they finished atop the table. This season, they have won in five

'Will be a tough game against Chennaiyin FC' - Punjab FC's Leon Augustine

The 26-year-old is in his debut season with the club and has delivered energetic displays off the bench for the Shers so far.

ISL 24-25: Bengaluru FC bag 3-1 victory against Kerala Blasters FC

Bengaluru FC notched their fifth win of the Indian Super League with a clinical 3-1 victory against Kerala Blasters FC here on Friday. In an encounter where the Blues conceded their first goal of the campaign, they held their nerves and capitalised upon the openings to breakthrough the Kerala Blasters FC backline and inflict upon them a loss in front of a rousing home crowd. The Gerard Zaragoza-coached side laid the foundation of this incredible outing within the first 10 minutes of the clash. Argentine striker Jorge Pereyra Diaz has been a bundle of energy for them upfront in this season and it was his relentless high-press that handed them the integral lead in the eighth minute. As Kerala Blasters FC aimed to build attacks gradually from the back, Diaz charged up ahead with sheer pace to pressurise Pritam Kotal into losing the possession. The former Kerala Blasters forward then carefully dribbled the ball ahead and lobbed it over goalkeeper Som Kumar to get his team ahead in the