New Delhi, Oct. 17 -- It was a good day for a new beginning. The late afternoon sun shone brightly as Bengaluru FC took on SC Delhi in the season-opener of the Indian Super League 2026-27 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on 10 October. Over 10,000 fans were in attendance at the stadium and over 7 million watched it on YouTube as the hosts rallied from 1-2 down, scoring in the 89th minute to edge to a 3-2 win.

Echoing the theme in the promos that went with #WeAreOpen, the ISL was well and truly open for business.

"It's a fresh start," says Mandar Tamhane, the CEO of NorthEast United FC and a former manager of the Indian men's national team. With the ISL undergoing major structural changes, there is optimism. "We now have a club-led model i...