ISL In ‘Discussions’ To Bring VAR If Commercial Revenues Grow After Fresh Start

Last Updated:October 09, 2026, 8:45 PM IST

The Indian Super League 2026-27 season begins on Saturday with Bengaluru FC playing SC Delhi, with hope of revenue growth and possibly a VAR introduction in the near future.

ISL (AIFF)

An umpteenth fresh start for football. The Indian Super League (ISL) 2026-27 season begins on Saturday with Bengaluru FC taking on SC Delhi at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, marking a new era for the league after a controversy-hit and truncated previous edition.

The 13th season returns to the traditional home-and-away format, followed by playoffs. The team finishing atop the league standings will win the ISL Shield, while the top six clubs will compete for the ISL Cup.

The league has secured a Rs 25 crore sponsorship deal with automotive manufacturer MG for two seasons and a digital streaming partnership with YouTube. The clubs will also have a greater say in its administration after paying a participation fee of Rs 1.1 crore to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which managed the competition last season following Reliance’s exit.

But this is just the start of this slightly optimistic era. According to ESPN, stakeholders want to improve the product manifold, and there have been discussions on introducing a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system to improve the standard of refereeing in the league — a long-pending concern. However, that would hinge on the promises of growing revenues and wider interest, which the new partnerships offer hope for.

Bengaluru FC, who finished fourth with 23 points from 13 matches last season, will aim for a stronger campaign. Their squad includes new foreign recruits Borja Martinez, Sandro Embalo, Manuel de Iriondo, Menno Koch and Mihailo Perovic. The club has also retained young Indian players Soham Varshneya, Vinith Venkatesh and Harsh Palande.

Veteran striker Sunil Chhetri, who has extended his contract for another season, will remain a key figure. Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu will also be under scrutiny following criticism after India’s heavy defeats to Brazil and Uruguay in recent international friendlies.

Coach Pep Munoz backed the 34-year-old but did not confirm whether he would start against Delhi. Munoz was similarly non-committal about Ryan Williams and Ashique Kuruniyan, given their recent international commitments.

SC Delhi, who finished 12th in the 14-team standings last season, face a difficult opening challenge. Saturday’s other fixture will see Chennaiyin FC visit FC Goa.

Defending champions East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Kerala Blasters and Mumbai City are among the other teams to watch. East Bengal, now under Antonio Lopez Habas, enter the season with confidence after beating Mohun Bagan 4-1 in the Durand Cup final. The club has also welcomed new investors following the departure of its previous owners.

With a revised structure and fresh commercial partnerships, the ISL will look to rebuild its standing and restore confidence in Indian football.

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What are the conditions for introducing the Video Assistant Referee system in the ISL?

Discussions have been held on introducing a Video Assistant Referee system to improve refereeing standards, but implementing it hinges on growing commercial revenues and wider public interest.

What is the format and prize structure for the 2026-27 ISL season?

The 13th ISL season returns to a traditional home-and-away format followed by playoffs, where the team finishing at the top of the league standings wins the ISL Shield and the top six clubs compete for the ISL Cup.

Which teams play in the opening match of the 2026-27 ISL season?

The ISL 2026-27 season opens on Saturday with Bengaluru FC playing against SC Delhi at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

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