FanCode wins exclusive ISL rights

The All India Football Federation handed FanCode exclusive global television and digital rights for the 2025-26 Indian Super League on February 2, 2026, in a deal that put one platform at the center of the competition’s distribution. The federation said its interim Managing Committee and RFQ committee selected FanCode as broadcast partner and KPS Studios as production partner for a season that began on February 14. (the-aiff.com) FanCode, owned by Dream Sports, said the package would add India’s top domestic football league to its lineup and be delivered as a digital-first product. (the-aiff.com) The fixture list published by the federation shows 91 matches across a 14-club competition, compressing inventory into a season that runs from mid-February into May. (indiansuperleague.com) FanCode’s live pages show the service selling single-match access for ₹19 and promoting “5 mins FREE for all matches,” giving a clearer picture of how viewers are being brought into the league on streaming. ### Which rights did FanCode actually win? The AIFF announcement says FanCode won “exclusive global broadcast rights” for the 2025-26 ISL, covering both television and digital distribution. The federation’s release did not name a separate linear broadcaster, which means FanCode sits as the primary rights holder and can determine how those rights are distributed. (the-aiff.com) M. Satyanarayan, AIFF deputy secretary general, said in the federation statement that the body wanted a partner focused on accessibility and fan experience. Yannick Colaco, FanCode co-founder, said the company saw an opportunity to improve how supporters watch the league through a more reliable broadcast product. (the-aiff.com) ### How different is the 2025-26 schedule? The federation’s fixture document lists 91 matches, starting on February 14, 2026, with Mohun Bagan Super Giant against Kerala Blasters and FC Goa against Inter Kashi on opening day. The official ISL results page also shows 14 participating clubs, including Sporting Club Delhi and Inter Kashi, two names not associated with earlier ISL editions. (the-aiff.com) The same schedule shows frequent doubleheaders and short turnarounds between rounds. On several weekends and weekdays, matches are stacked across consecutive days, which increases the number of live windows available for a platform built around app traffic, highlights and paid match access. (the-aiff.com) That scheduling pattern is visible in the published fixtures, though neither AIFF nor FanCode quantified its commercial effect in the documents reviewed. ### What changes for viewers in practice? FanCode’s ISL pages show live streams, full replays, multilingual highlights and a match-pass option priced at ₹19. The platform also advertises five free minutes for all matches without payment details, a common streaming tactic to convert casual viewers into paying users. (the-aiff.com) The official ISL site continues to carry schedules, scores and results, but the live viewing prompt now points fans toward FanCode’s environment rather than a traditional television-first setup. That gives the platform direct control over viewing behavior data such as starts, watch time, replay use and highlight consumption, based on how streaming services typically operate; the underlying traffic and measurement details were not publicly disclosed in the sources reviewed. (the-aiff.com) ### Where does production fit into the arrangement? Kaleidoscope Production and Services, identified by AIFF as KPS Studios, was appointed production partner in the same February 2 decision. That separates the rights-holding role from the match-production role, with FanCode controlling distribution while KPS handles the host broadcast feed. (fancode.com) The split matters because a dense calendar requires coordination across venues, crews and delivery windows. The federation announcement confirms the two-part structure, but it does not provide production budgets, crew counts or venue-by-venue operating plans. (indiansuperleague.com) ### What comes next on the calendar? FanCode’s current ISL listing shows the competition in its closing stretch, with matches numbered into the high 80s and low 90s. The service’s match page shows fixtures including Kerala Blasters against FC Goa on May 18, NorthEast United against Mohammedan SC on May 19, and four matches on May 21, including Mohun Bagan Super Giant against Sporting Club Delhi and Punjab FC against Mumbai City FC. (the-aiff.com) The official ISL schedule and results page remains the reference point for match dates, venues and final scores, while FanCode is carrying the live product and replay inventory. For viewers following the run-in, those two pages now serve distinct roles: one for fixtures and standings information, the other for paid access and video. (the-aiff.com) (indiansuperleague.com) (fancode.com)