Well, that's that done then. The 2025-26 Indian Super League season (2025 only in theory) is over and the climax was exceptional: a wild, chaotic final day to cap a wild, chaotic (half) season. And we're here to review it all.
Woah, woah, what happened on the final day?
You can check out the details here and here but at the end of a day in which five teams could plausibly have been won the league, East Bengal were crowned champions of India.
East Bengal? They hadn't won forever!
Indeed, 22 years after they won their last national league title in the National Football League era, the punchline of many a recent joke in the ISL era stepped up to finish off a fantastic campaign and win their first ever ISL title.
How did they do it?
The best way - by playing entertaining, attacking football and simply outscoring their closest competitors (they beat great rivals Mohun Bagan to the title by dint of superior Goal Difference).
Coach Oscar Bruzon rather modestly said he was merely channelling the "positive energy" of the players and the clubs onto performances in the field, but he was instrumental in transforming the fortunes of a club who had looked down and out for the count ever since walking into the ISL.
Mohun Bagan ran them closest, eh?
Of course. In a season as wild and chaotic as this, it was but natural that the kings of anarchy -- born and built in the chaos of the maidan -- ruled the roost. Mohun Bagan played fun, silly, irreverent football and could well have won it, but it just wasn't to be for this juggernaut.
A special note, though, for Punjab FC, Mumbai City FC and Jamshedpur FC for keeping their title hopes alive, however faint they may have been by the end.
It wasn't easy, was it, for any of them?
Not one bit. From not having any type of certainty that the season would even happen to a truncated joke of a pre-season and a 'dynamic' fixture schedule that catered for only half a regular season, it was the toughest season in modern Indian football history. Player wages were cut, deferred or delayed. Commercials deals were made tougher than ever by the sheer uncertainty of it all.
No team, manager or set of players - not even bottom-placed Mohammedan SC, who lost all but three matches (which they drew) - ought to be judged basis this season.
Understandable, but who really stood out among the players?
Take your pick between the new East Bengal triumvirate of Youssef Ezzejari (golden boot), Miguel Figueira (most assists), and Mohamed Rashid (midfield general and scorer of winner on last day). They all deserve to be named player of the season.
Out of curiosity, what would a Team of the Season look like?
In a 4-3-3: Prabsukhan Gill (GK); Valpuia, Tom Aldred, Anwar Ali, Mohammed Uvais; Miguel Figueira, Mohamed Rashid, Anirudh Thapa; Lallianzuala Chhangte, Youssef Ezzejari, Bipin Singh
Quite the team. What's next then?
India play the Unity Cup on May 27, taking on Jamaica...
No, no... what's next for the ISL?
Brave of you to ask this considering everything we've seen so far. What we do know is
Diamond Harbour won the second division (IFL) and should be in the ISL.
Genius Sports won the bid for the league's commercial rights (@ INR 2129 crores for 20 years)
Meetings are on, and more are set to take place between Genius, AIFF and the clubs.
Oh and just in as this piece was being written... the clubs find the uncertainty so bad that they are considering not continuing at all:
- FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) May 22, 2026
So, we don't really know much about how next season will pan out?
No.
Sigh. Are we bidding adieu on that note?
Not at all. Before you go, we have our prize giving ceremony for ISL "2025"-26. Drumrolls, please!
Award for actually starting the league
For months fans and players and clubs and everyone else waited -- hoping, praying, getting nowhere -- but by Valentines Day we got there didn't we. Kinda. Sorta. Thereabouts.
For that, step forward, All India Football Federation.
Award for actually conducting the league
Once again, it's that entity again. The one whose SOLE job is to run the football in this country.
Sure, there were moments of confusion, like how we did not know when that epic last day would happen till a few days before it (and we weren't sure of the timings till even later) and sure, former NT coach and Goa head coach Manolo Marquez called the season "a disaster" ... but hey, we had that final day. Don't focus on the small details, ye of little positivity.
Where art thou, All India Football Federation?
Award for hardest working team in the ISL
The AIFF's Appeals Committee.
Everyone appealed, all appeals were heard, many were accepted. Referee's cards were rescinded every other day (almost), suspensions were reduced, and referees were probably left wondering 'why even bother'.
Award for best quote
"Fortune favours the brave"
Kalyan Chaubey, president All India Football Federation, as part response to a question on whether the ISL bidding process was happening in a timely manner (This was back in September 2025).
Award for most ambitious club
Churchill Brothers. For (reportedly) wanting in on the ISL on the basis that the AIFF had wrongly (as ruled by the Court for Arbitration of Sport) awarded them last season's I-League trophy.
Award for most principled club
Churchill Brothers, once again, who refused to play this season's I-League (rebranded now as the Indian Football League) on the basis that they had already won it.