Format
Twelve clubs play twenty-two league matches each, then the top six qualify for the playoff phase. Two-leg semifinals settle the finalists; the final is single-leg at a neutral venue.
Standings
Win-draw-loss first, goal difference second, goals scored third. We re-rank after every round and flag any tie-breaker that needs the head-to-head rule.
Recent reporting
Friday previews, Saturday match reports and Sunday tactics reviews — named bylines, named coaches, named sources. Pressers quoted, not paraphrased.
Tournament grammar
The four things to read first
Squad size cap
Clubs register a fixed squad with a development quota, and a salary cap sits above the wage bill. Both are public — clubs publish the figures to the league office and we link the source.
Foreign-player rules
A specific number of foreign slots is allowed on the match-day squad and on the field at any time. The numbers shift by season and we publish the change before the first ball.
Playoff bracket
Top of the table gets the easier path. The final positions are locked at the end of the league phase; there is no playoff seeding re-weighed by form.
AFC qualification
The ISL champion earns the AFC Champions League Two path. We track the continental timeline alongside the domestic one — different fixtures, overlapping travel.
What our ISL coverage does — and what it doesn’t
We publish a Friday preview, a Saturday match report and a Sunday tactics column. We do not chase transfer rumours from unverified accounts, and we name sources where they will allow us to — even when the source is the coaching staff.