Indian domestic football is ready to return to the normal system as the 2022/23 season of the Indian football is likely to be nine-month longer.
The COVID-19 forced the Indian domestic football to run for shorter periods in the last two seasons with no major cup competitions. But the Indian footballers will now return to the busy domestic schedule in the upcoming season.
According to the recent report in The Times Of India, the upcoming Indian major domestic season will follow from Durand Cup to ISL to Super Cup.
While the Indian clubs now must have to play at least 27 games over eight months in a domestic season to earn the eligibility for the future AFC club competitions, the Indian teams now will play at least 28 games in a season due to the new format.
The probable details of Indian football have been informed below.
Durand Cup
A total of 20 teams will participate in the Durand Cup. All the 11 ISL teams, the top five I-League teams and four Indian Armed Force teams will compete in this contest.
Teams will be divided into four groups with five teams in each group. There is no additional information yet about the knockout stages of this tournament. So, we can expect that the knockout stages will continue to begin from the Round of 16.
Expected Date: 13th August 2022 to 24th September 2022
Expected Venues: Kolkata, Assam and Manipur
Indian Super League (ISL)
ISL is set to run as the only top tier of the Indian football league system for the first time in the upcoming 2022/23 edition. This forthcoming ISL season will focus on weekend-centric matches.
Once again 11 teams will participate in the upcoming ISL season. In the League stage of this tournament, each team will face all other teams in this competition in the original home-away venue format.
At the end of the league stage, the tournament will be concluded with the playoffs.
Probable key changes (in the playoffs)
While the top two teams of the final points table will directly qualify for the playoffs and semi-finals, the four next teams will fight for the next two positions in the semi-finals (3rd best team vs 6th best team & 4th best team vs 5th best team).
This new additional playoff round will be the single-leg knockout stage games while the higher-ranked teams will host the matches.
Otherwise, the semi-finals and finals of the playoffs will be unchanged. While both the semi-finals will be played in double-leg formats (home and away venue basis), the final will be continued in single-leg format.
Expected Date: 6th October 2022 to 18th March 2023
Expected Venues: Returning to the original home-away venue format.
I-League
Since its inaugural edition, I-League is set to act as the second tier of the Indian football league system for the first time in the upcoming 2022/23 edition.
More details of the I-League 2022/23 will be released soon.
Expected Date: October 2022 to March 2023
Expected Venues: Unknown
Super Cup
A total of 20 teams will participate in the Super Cup. Apart from all 11 ISL teams, nine I-League teams will also participate in this competition.
Likely format (unconfirmed)
Unlike the first two editions of the Super Cup, the new edition can begin from the Group Stage, where teams will be divided into four groups with five teams in each group.
The knockout stage of this tournament is likely to begin in the Round of 16.
Expected Date: 1st April 2023 to 14th May 2023
Expected Venues: Unknown
