I-League
I-League 2025/26: Diamond Harbour's title and the clubs that fell
A first title, a promotion, 201 goals and two famous names relegated. The 2025/26 I-League season in numbers and in context.
India’s second tier: clubs, promotion and the football played below the ISL.
A first title, a promotion, 201 goals and two famous names relegated. The 2025/26 I-League season in numbers and in context.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Winner | Diamond Harbour (1st title) |
| Promoted | Diamond Harbour |
| Relegated | Namdhari, Churchill Brothers |
| Matches played | 66 |
| Goals scored | 201 |
| Top scorer | Marcus Joseph (9 goals) |
| Stage I | 27 February – 19 April 2026 |
| Stage II | 24 April – 23 May 2026 |
The two-stage calendar is the defining feature of the season: clubs play a longer first phase, then a shorter second stage in which the promotion and relegation questions are settled. Diamond Harbour's nine-match unbeaten run covered both phases, which is why the title was decided before the final round rather than in it.
