The Indian Super League could head into the new season without relegation after the competition was reduced to 13 teams. The development comes after Diamond Harbour FC failed to complete the payment required to take up their place in the top flight.
According to a report by Times of India, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is considering putting relegation on hold for one season. Diamond Harbour earned promotion after winning the Indian Football League last season but could not pay the full Rs 1.1 crore participation fee, with Rs 55 lakh already adjusted against their prize money.
The club’s absence has left ISL teams seeking clarity over whether the relegation rule will still be enforced with only 13 sides taking part. The AIFF is yet to issue a formal response, although the possibility of suspending relegation could be considered by its league committee and executive committee.
WHY RELEGATION IS BACK IN FOCUS
The situation is significant because the ISL only introduced promotion and relegation last season after operating for years as a largely closed competition.
The league began in 2014 as a three-month tournament and became India’s top division in the 2019-20 season. While teams from the lower division were eventually promoted, ISL clubs did not face relegation until the 2025-2026 season, when Mohammedan Sporting finished at the bottom.
The Diamond Harbour situation has now created an unusual question before the new campaign. With one promoted side no longer participating, clubs want to know whether relegation can be applied in a 13-team competition.
The AIFF constitution states that India’s senior-most top division must implement promotion and relegation while meeting the AFC’s requirements for eligibility for a direct slot in the Asian Champions League.
That leaves the federation with a decision to make over how the regulations should apply this season.
ISL ENTERS NEW CLUB-RUN ERA
The relegation uncertainty also comes as the ISL undergoes a major change in its operating structure.
The league was previously run by Reliance-owned Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which held the commercial rights from the AIFF. That arrangement has now ended, with the clubs set to collectively operate the competition through a special purpose vehicle.
The new club-run model is therefore beginning amid questions over one of the most important aspects of the league’s sporting structure. The AIFF’s eventual decision will determine whether relegation continues after just one season or is paused as the ISL adjusts to having 13 participating clubs.
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