Two clubs, thirteen matches each, the same number of points. The 2025/26 Indian Super League title was settled by goal difference, which makes the season a useful case study in how narrow the gap at the top of the league has become.
The table in one line
East Bengal and Mohun Bagan both finished on 26 points. East Bengal scored 30 and conceded 11; Mohun Bagan scored 23 and conceded 9. The difference was a plus-19 goal difference against plus-14 — a five-goal margin across an entire season.
Where the margin was built
Champions are usually described through their best performances, but title margins are built in the matches that could have gone wrong. East Bengal’s 7–0 win over Mohammedan was the single largest contributor to their advantage, and it came against the side that finished bottom without a win.
A goal difference title is a reminder that the scoreline in a routine match is never routine in a close race.
The defensive side of the story
Mohun Bagan conceded fewer goals than the champions, which is the argument their supporters will make when they look back. They also scored seven fewer. In a league phase of thirteen matches, the difference between winning the shield and finishing second was essentially one afternoon’s finishing.
What it says about the league
The ISL has grown from a small, city-based competition into a fourteen-club league with relegation, promotion and continental qualification attached. A title decided on goal difference is a sign of competitive balance — the same balance that makes the 2026/27 season hard to predict.
The full 2025/26 table is published on this site, along with the ISL awards and the notable results of the campaign.
