Promotion pathway updates

Why it matters

India’s second-tier men’s league is changing midseason: the top six Indian Football League clubs now advance to a championship round that decides promotion to the Indian Super League. (khelnow.com) Khel Now reported on April 20 that the first phase of the 2025-26 Indian Football League ended after Real Kashmir FC played Sreenidi Deccan FC, and six clubs moved on: Diamond Harbour FC, Inter Kashi, Churchill Brothers, Namdhari FC, Real Kashmir FC and Gokulam Kerala FC. (khelnow.com) The same report said the rebranded Indian Football League, formerly the I-League, is using a two-stage format this season, with the promotion place to the Indian Super League attached to the championship round rather than a single-table finish alone. (khelnow.com) Below that level, I-League 3 begins on April 27, 2026, with 20 teams divided into four groups of five, according to the All India Football Federation. Group B starts a day later, on April 28, in Imphal, while Groups A and C open in Kolkata and Group D opens in Bengaluru on April 27. (the-aiff.com) The federation’s competition page says I-League 3 sits below I-League 2 in the men’s pyramid, and last season’s format sent group winners and runners-up up to I-League 2, with third-place teams also moving into the next season’s I-League 2. (the-aiff.com) The Indian Super League remains the top tier, with 14 clubs, according to the All India Football Federation’s ISL competition page. The Indian Football League is the second tier, and I-League 2 is the third tier, creating a promotion ladder that now stretches across multiple national divisions. (the-aiff.com 1) (the-aiff.com 2) (the-aiff.com 3) Khel Now reported that the new second phase concentrates the promotion race among six clubs instead of leaving it to the full first-phase field, while the federation’s I-League 3 plan expands the national footprint of lower-tier competition with 20 teams spread across four venues and staggered start dates. (khelnow.com) (the-aiff.com) That means the next few weeks put two different bottlenecks into motion at once: a six-team promotion chase near the top of the pyramid, and a 20-team sorting round at the bottom of its national tiers. (khelnow.com) (the-aiff.com)

Key numbers

• Football Counter says I-League 3 kicks off on April 27 with 20 teams split into four groups.
• (khelnow.com) Below that level, I-League 3 begins on April 27, 2026, with 20 teams divided into four groups of five, according to the All India Football Federation.
• Group B starts a day later, on April 28, in Imphal, while Groups A and C open in Kolkata and Group D opens in Bengaluru on April 27.
• (the-aiff.com) The federation’s competition page says I-League 3 sits below I-League 2 in the men’s pyramid, and last season’s format sent group winners and runners-up up to I-League 2, with third-place teams also moving into the next season’s I-League 2.

What happens next

• (khelnow.com) Below that level, I-League 3 begins on April 27, 2026, with 20 teams divided into four groups of five, according to the All India Football Federation.
• (the-aiff.com) The federation’s competition page says I-League 3 sits below I-League 2 in the men’s pyramid, and last season’s format sent group winners and runners-up up to I-League 2, with third-place teams also moving into the next season’s I-League 2.
• (khelnow.com) (the-aiff.com) That means the next few weeks put two different bottlenecks into motion at once: a six-team promotion chase near the top of the pyramid, and a 20-team sorting round at the bottom of its national tiers.

Sources

• khelnow.com
• footballcounter.com
• the-aiff.com
• the-aiff.com
• the-aiff.com 1
• the-aiff.com 2
• the-aiff.com 3

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