ISL 2025-26: Mumbai City FC Lead the Table as Indian Super League Introduces Relegation for First Time
Mumbai City FC have surged to the top of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 standings with 14 points from six matches, leading a fiercely competitive title race that also features Jamshedpur FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, and Punjab FC in close contention. The 12th season of the ISL, which kicked off on 14 February 2026 after months of delay, marks a historic turning point for Indian football — it is the first season to feature relegation and the first without the traditional playoff format.
The league was thrown into uncertainty in mid-2025 after the expiry of the Master Rights Agreement between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its former commercial partner. A Supreme Court of India intervention helped resolve the standoff, and the season eventually began in February 2026 with a compressed 13-match round-robin format. The Asian Football Confederation granted India a one-season exemption from the 24-match minimum requirement, allowing the champions and Super Cup winners to qualify for the 2026-27 AFC Champions League Two.
A New Format Sharpens the Stakes
For the first time in ISL history, all 14 clubs will compete in a single-leg round-robin, with no post-season playoffs. The team that finishes top of the table at the end of 91 matches will be crowned champions outright. More significantly, the AIFF has pushed through relegation despite objections from all 14 clubs, who cited the shortened season as their main concern. The bottom-placed team faces the drop, adding a layer of jeopardy that Indian top-flight football has never experienced.
Mumbai City FC’s unbeaten run of four wins and two draws has been built on defensive solidity — conceding just four goals in six matches — and clinical finishing. Their 1-0 victory over defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant on 20 March was a statement result that propelled them to the summit. Jamshedpur FC and Mohun Bagan sit on 14 points each but with seven matches played, while East Bengal FC’s resurgence has been one of the season’s most exciting storylines, their 4-1 demolition of Mohammedan SC a particular highlight.
Relegation Battle and What Is at Stake
At the bottom of the table, the relegation threat is already shaping decisions. With every match carrying enormous weight in a 13-game season, clubs that lose early momentum face an uphill battle. The AIFF’s insistence on relegation — a first for India’s top football division since the I-League lost its premier status — signals a broader push to align Indian football with global standards. Fans of Indian sports have long called for such a system to raise competitive intensity.
The ISL’s revival comes at a time when Indian football is enjoying a broader upswing. As Mohun Bagan dominated last season while Indian football eyed FIFA 2027 qualifiers, the national team’s climb to 92nd in the FIFA rankings has shown that the ISL’s investment boom is paying dividends at international level. Meanwhile, other Indian leagues like Pro Kabaddi’s record-breaking Season 12 prove that Indian audiences are hungry for high-quality domestic competition.
What Comes Next
With six rounds still to play, the title race remains wide open. Mohun Bagan’s firepower — 15 goals in seven games — makes them the most dangerous attacking side, while Mumbai City’s discipline gives them the edge. The final weeks of the season, running through to 17 May, will determine not just the champion but also which club faces the unprecedented punishment of relegation from India’s premier football league.
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