Indian Super League
The Indian Super League (ISL) is the men's highest level of the Indian football league system. Administered by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its commercial partner Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the league currently comprises 12 clubs.
| Organising bodies | AIFF and FSDL |
|---|---|
| Founded | 21 October 2013 |
| Country | India |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Domestic cup(s) |
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| International cup(s) |
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| Current champions | Mohun Bagan SG (1st title) (2022–23) |
| Current premiers | Mohun Bagan SG (1st title) (2023–24) |
| Most championships | ATK (3 titles) |
| Most premierships | Mumbai City (2 titles) |
| Most appearances | Pritam Kotal (161) |
| Top goalscorer | Bartholomew Ogbeche (63) |
| TV partners | List of broadcasters |
| Website | indiansuperleague.com |
| Current: 2023–24 Indian Super League | |
The season runs from September to March and includes a 22-round regular season followed by playoffs involving the top six teams, culminating with the ISL Final to determine the champions. At the end of the regular season, the team with the most points is declared the premiers and presented with the League Winners' Shield.
Currently, the league only follows promotion in the promotion and relegation processes. ISL clubs qualify for the Asian continental club competitions; regular season premiers qualify directly for the subsequent season's AFC Champions League 2 group stage.
The competition was founded on 21 October 2013 to grow the sport of football in India and increase its exposure in the country. Play began in October 2014 with eight teams. During its first three seasons, the competition operated without official recognition from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the governing body for the sport in Asia. It was structured along the same lines as the Indian Premier League, the country's premier Twenty20 franchise-based cricket competition. Each season lasted just three months, from October to December, and matches were held daily. However, before the 2017–18 season, the league expanded to ten teams, expanded its schedule to six months, and earned recognition from the AFC.
Since the league's inaugural season, six clubs have won the championship: ATK (3), Chennaiyin (2), Bengaluru (1), Mumbai City (1), Hyderabad (1) and Mohun Bagan (1). Since the introduction of the League Winners' Shield in the 2019–20 season, Mumbai City has won it twice, while Mohun Bagan, Jamshedpur and Goa have won once each. Mumbai City is the only team to have won the ISL Final and the League Winners' Shield in the same season, which they achieved in the 2020–21 season.