New Delhi, Sept. 5 -- The Indian Super League (ISL) 2026-27 season will begin on October 10 and run until May 2027, with the competition set to return to a traditional home-and-away format under a new club-led model, according to a statement released by the league, as quoted by ESPN.

The upcoming season will feature 163 matches across eight months, with 13 teams competing in a round-robin format. The team finishing at the top of the league table will be crowned Shield Winners, recognised as the official champions of the ISL, and will earn a place in Asian competition.

The season will also mark the return of the playoff format, with the top six teams competing for the ISL Cup Champions title.

The release mentioned, as quoted by ESPN, "i...