Despite clarity over the 2025-2026 Indian Super League (ISL) season, the country will not automatically have a place in next season’s AFC Champions League 2 (ACL 2), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on Thursday.
The AFC, in response to a January 12 letter from the All India Football Federation (AIFF), said failure to meet the minimum match criteria will prevent India from earning indirect places in ACL 2 only through zonal qualifiers.
Previously, India had two spots in Asia: one directly – in the group stage of ACL 2 – and one indirectly.
The direct spot was earned by the ISL Shield winner, while the Super Cup winner took the indirect spot. However, because the 2025-2026 season is a shortened season, each team will play thirteen games in the competition.
In addition, most ISL teams also played at least three matches in the Super Cup, bringing the minimum number of matches played for most teams in the competition to 16.
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However, the number is still at least eight lower than the 24 match threshold stated in the AFC Club Competitions – Entry Rules (2025 edition). Furthermore, the 2025-2026 season will also not have a minimum duration of eight months – another violation of AFC regulations.
“…Member Associations that do not meet the Member Association Eligibility Criteria shall, subject to Article 4.4, be eligible to receive only indirect slots for the relevant AFC Club Competition,” AFC Deputy Secretary General Shin Man Gil wrote to AIFF.
“In such cases, the number of direct slots for the relevant member association(s) in the relevant AFC Club competition will be fully converted into indirect slots (e.g. 2+1 becomes 0+3).”
The 2025-2026 ISL season has been confirmed to begin on February 14, with all 14 teams confirming their participation. The shortened season will feature 91 matches, with each team playing single-leg matches (13) against each other.
Half of the thirteen (six or seven) matches are played at home and the rest on the road.
FC Goa has already secured one of the indirect slots after winning the Super Cup this season, beating East Bengal in the final. Twelve clubs will therefore compete for the other indirect spot, with Mohun Bagan Super Giant banned by the AFC for two seasons.
Published on January 15, 2026
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