New Delhi, March 17 The I-League 2 season, the third tier of Indian men's football featuring nine clubs, will begin on March 27 and will be played in a single round-robin, home-and-away format, with each team playing eight matches – four at home and four away.
Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC will take on Sudeva Delhi FC at the KASA Stadium in Diphu, while GMSC will face Sporting Club Bengaluru at the Cooperage Stadium in Mumbai on the opening day.
The season will conclude on May 15, with the champions and runners-up set to be promoted to the Indian Football League 2026–27.
The ninth-placed club, along with Sports Academy Tirur (who have withdrawn from I-League 2 2025-26 prior to the commencement of the league), will be relegated to I-League 3 2026-27.
The nine participating teams include two relegated clubs from the I-League 2024–25 – Delhi FC and Sporting Club Bengaluru; two promoted sides from the I-League 3 2024–25 – GMSC and Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC; four returning teams from the I-League 2 2024–25 – United SC, NEROCA FC, Sporting Clube de Goa and FC Bengaluru United; and Sudeva Delhi FC, who were reinstated to I-League 2 following a decision by the AIFF Executive Committee.
TRAU FC and KLASA FC were relegated from I-League 2 2024-25 after finishing eighth and ninth, respectively.