The 12th season of one of India's two domestic leagues — I-League kickstarts at Coimbatore's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Friday, October 26 with a tie between Chennai City FC and the Indian Arrows.
When do the matches start and how to watch them live
Star Sports Network will provide live television coverage of the matches in India. The live stream will be available on Hotstar.
With doubts remaining over the future of the league, given the talks over merging the long-standing league with cash-rich Indian Super League (ISL), teams will have an extra motivation to make an impact and be on top of the pecking order.
The 11-team league, which includes debutants Real Kashmir FC, will be played over six months, starting on Saturday and coming to a close on March 3.
Teams
Aizawl, Chennai City FC, Churchill Brothers, East Bengal, Indian Arrows, Gokulam Kerala, Minerva Punjab, Mohun Bagan, NEROCA, Real Kashmir, Shillong Lajong.
Kolkata clubs and powerhouses Mohun Bagan and East Bengal will be leading the race for the coveted title this season, considering the firepower they have managed to add to their line-ups.
All eyes will be on Real Kashmir FC, the first football club from the valley to play top-division football in the country. The Snow Leopards have already created a buzz by roping in sportswear giants, Adidas in an unprecedented move when it comes to Indian football. After winning the second division in just its second year, there is quite a lot of expectations from the debutants.
Meanwhile, defending champions Minerva Punjab, under newly-promoted coach Sachin Bhadade, will be hoping to continue the winning momentum into the new season. They open their campaign against Churchill Brothers, who have managed to remain in the league despite finishing in the relegation zone last season.
Venues
The upcoming edition will be played across 11 venues — home bases of the teams in the league — across the country.
- Mohun Bagan, East Bengal - Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
- Aizawl FC - Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl
- Chennai City FC - Nehru Stadium, Coimbatore
- Churchill Brothers - Tilak Maidan Stadium, Goa
- Indian Arrows - Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneshwar and Barabati Stadium, Cuttack
- Goukalam Kerala FC - EMS Stadium, Kerala
- Minerva Punjab - Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Chandigarh
- NEROCA - Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, Manipur
- Real Kashmir - TRC Turf Ground, Srinagar
- Shillong Lajong, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Meghalaya
Full schedule of I-League 2018-19
26-10-18 05:00 PM - NEHRU STADIUM
Chennai City FC - Indian Arrows
27-10-18 05:00 PM - EMS CORPORATION STADIUM
Gokulam Kerala FC - Mohun Bagan
27-10-18 02:00 PM - KHUMAN LUMPAK STADIUM
NEROCA FC - Quess East Bengal
28-10-18 05:00 PM - JLN NEHRU STADIUM
Shillong Lajong FC - Aizawl FC
28-10-18 02:00 PM - TAU DEVI LAL STADIUM
Minerva Punjab FC - Churchill Brothers FCG
31-10-18 02:00 PM - TAU DEVI LAL STADIUM
Minerva Punjab FC - Real Kashmir FC
31-10-18 02:00 PM - KHUMAN LUMPAK STADIUM
NEROCA FC - Gokulam Kerala FC
01-11-18 02:00 PM - JLN NEHRU STADIUM
Shillong Lajong FC - Quess East Bengal
01-11-18 05:00 PM - NEHRU STADIUM
Chennai City FC - Churchill Brothers FCG
03-11-18 05:00 PM - YBK
Mohun Bagan - Aizawl FC
04-11-18 05:00 PM - EMS CORPORATION STADIUM
Gokulam Kerala FC - Chennai City FC
05-11-18 05:00 PM - BARABATI STADIUM
Indian Arrows - Shillong Lajong FC
06-11-18 02:00 PM - TRC GROUND
Real Kashmir FC - Churchill Brothers FCG
07-11-18 02:00 PM - RAJIV GANDHI STADIUM
Aizawl FC - NEROCA FC
10-11-18 05:00 PM - BARABATI STADIUM
Indian Arrows - Mohun Bagan
10-11-18 02:00 PM - RAJIV GANDHI STADIUM
Aizawl FC - Minerva Punjab FC
11-11-18 02:00 PM - TRC GROUND
Real Kashmir FC - NEROCA FC
11-11-18 05:00 PM - EMS CORPORATION STADIUM
Gokulam Kerala FC - Shillong Lajong FC
13-11-18 05:00 PM - YBK
Quess East Bengal - Chennai City FC
15-11-18 05:00 PM - TILAK MAIDAN
Churchill Brothers FCG - Shillong Lajong FC
16-11-18 02:00 PM - RAJIV GANDHI STADIUM
Aizawl FC - Chennai City FC
18-11-18 07:30 PM - EMS CORPORATION STADIUM
Gokulam Kerala FC - Minerva Punjab FC
20-11-18 02:00 PM - TRC GROUND
Real Kashmir FC - Mohun Bagan
23-11-18 05:00 PM - JLN NEHRU STADIUM
Shillong Lajong FC - Minerva Punjab FC
24-11-18 05:00 PM - NEHRU STADIUM
Chennai City FC - NEROCA FC
24-11-18 02:00 PM - RAJIV GANDHI STADIUM
Aizawl FC - Quess East Bengal
25-11-18 02:00 PM - TRC GROUND
Real Kashmir FC - Indian Arrows
25-11-18 05:00 PM - YBK
Mohun Bagan - Churchill Brothers FCG
30-11-18 05:00 PM - EMS CORPORATION STADIUM
Gokulam Kerala FC - Churchill Brothers FCG
01-12-18 05:00 PM - YBK
Mohun Bagan - Chennai City FC
01-12-18 02:00 PM - TAU DEVI LAL STADIUM
Minerva Punjab FC - Indian Arrows
02-12-18 05:00 PM - JLN NEHRU STADIUM
Shillong Lajong FC - NEROCA FC
04-12-18 05:00 PM - YBK
Quess East Bengal - Minerva Punjab FC
05-12-18 02:00 PM - TRC GROUND
Real Kashmir FC - Aizawl FC
07-12-18 02:00 PM - KHUMAN LUMPAK STADIUM
NEROCA FC - Indian Arrows
08-12-18 05:00 PM - YBK
Quess East Bengal - Gokulam Kerala FC
09-12-18 05:00 PM - TILAK MAIDAN
Churchill Brothers FCG - Aizawl FC
11-12-18 02:00 PM - TRC GROUND
Real Kashmir FC - Shillong Lajong FC
14-12-18 05:00 PM - BARABATI STADIUM
Indian Arrows - Aizawl FC
15-12-18 05:00 PM - EMS CORPORATION STADIUM
Gokulam Kerala FC - Real Kashmir FC
15-12-18 02:00 PM - KHUMAN LUMPAK STADIUM
NEROCA FC - Churchill Brothers FCG
16-12-18 05:00 PM - YBK
Quess East Bengal - Mohun Bagan
16-12-18 02:00 PM - TAU DEVI LAL STADIUM
Minerva Punjab FC - Chennai City FC
19-12-18 02:00 PM - TAU DEVI LAL STADIUM
Minerva Punjab FC - Mohun Bagan
20-12-18 05:00 PM - TILAK MAIDAN
Churchill Brothers FCG - Quess East Bengal
21-12-18 05:00 PM - KALINGA STADIUM
Indian Arrows - Gokulam Kerala FC
22-12-18 07:30 PM - NEHRU STADIUM
Chennai City FC - Real Kashmir FC
23-12-18 02:00 PM - KHUMAN LUMPAK STADIUM
NEROCA FC - Minerva Punjab FC
23-12-18 05:00 PM - YBK
Mohun Bagan - Shillong Lajong FC
28-12-18 05:00 PM - YBK
Quess East Bengal - Real Kashmir FC
28-12-18 02:00 PM - KHUMAN LUMPAK STADIUM
NEROCA FC - Mohun Bagan
29-12-18 02:00 PM - RAJIV GANDHI STADIUM
Aizawl FC - Gokulam Kerala FC
29-12-18 05:00 PM - NEHRU STADIUM
Chennai City FC - Shillong Lajong FC
30-12-18 05:00 PM - KALINGA STADIUM
Indian Arrows - Churchill Brothers FCG
04-01-19 07:30 PM - NEHRU STADIUM
Chennai City FC - Gokulam Kerala FC
04-01-19 02:00 PM - KHUMAN LUMPAK STADIUM
NEROCA FC - Shillong Lajong FC
05-01-19 05:00 PM - TILAK MAIDAN
Churchill Brothers FCG - Minerva Punjab FC
05-01-19 02:00 PM - RAJIV GANDHI STADIUM
Aizawl FC - Indian Arrows
06-01-19 02:00 PM - YBK
Mohun Bagan - Real Kashmir FC
09-01-19 02:00 PM - KALINGA STADIUM
Indian Arrows - Quess East Bengal
09-01-19 02:00 PM - YBK
Mohun Bagan - Minerva Punjab FC
10-01-19 02:00 PM - TILAK MAIDAN
Churchill Brothers FCG - Gokulam Kerala FC
11-01-19 02:00 PM - RAJIV GANDHI STADIUM
Aizawl FC - Real Kashmir FC
12-01-19 02:00 PM - YBK
Mohun Bagan - NEROCA FC
13-01-19 02:00 PM - JLN NEHRU STADIUM
Shillong Lajong FC - Indian Arrows
14-01-19 07:30 PM - NEHRU STADIUM
Chennai City FC - Quess East Bengal
18-01-19 05:00 PM - YBK
Quess East Bengal - Indian Arrows
18-01-19 07:30 PM - NEHRU STADIUM
Chennai City FC - Aizawl FC
19-01-19 05:00 PM - JLN NEHRU STADIUM
Shillong Lajong FC - Real Kashmir FC
19-01-19 07:30 PM - TILAK MAIDAN
Churchill Brothers FCG - NEROCA FC
19-01-19 02:00 PM - TAU DEVI LAL STADIUM
Minerva Punjab FC - Gokulam Kerala FC
25-01-19 02:00 PM - TAU DEVI LAL STADIUM
Minerva Punjab FC - Shillong Lajong FC
26-01-19 05:00 PM - TILAK MAIDAN
Churchill Brothers FCG - Indian Arrows
27-01-19 05:00 PM - YBK
Mohun Bagan - Quess East Bengal
27-01-19 02:00 PM - KHUMAN LUMPAK STADIUM
NEROCA FC - Aizawl FC
28-01-19 02:00 PM - TRC GROUND
Real Kashmir FC - Chennai City FC
30-01-19 05:00 PM - YBK
Mohun Bagan - Gokulam Kerala FC
31-01-19 05:00 PM - TILAK MAIDAN
Churchill Brothers FCG - Real Kashmir FC
01-02-19 05:00 PM - KALINGA STADIUM
Indian Arrows - NEROCA FC
01-02-19 02:00 PM - TAU DEVI LAL STADIUM
Minerva Punjab FC - Aizawl FC
05-02-19 02:00 PM - JLN NEHRU STADIUM
Shillong Lajong FC - Churchill Brothers FCG
06-02-19 05:00 PM - KALINGA STADIUM
Indian Arrows - Chennai City FC
06-02-19 02:00 PM - TRC GROUND
Real Kashmir FC - Gokulam Kerala FC
07-02-19 05:00 PM - YBK
Quess East Bengal - NEROCA FC
09-02-19 05:00 PM - TILAK MAIDAN
Churchill Brothers FCG - Mohun Bagan
10-02-19 02:00 PM - TRC GROUND
Real Kashmir FC - Quess East Bengal
10-02-19 05:00 PM - EMS CORPORATION STADIUM
Gokulam Kerala FC - Aizawl FC
11-02-19 02:00 PM - KHUMAN LUMPAK STADIUM
NEROCA FC - Chennai City FC
11-02-19 05:00 PM - KALINGA STADIUM
Indian Arrows - Minerva Punjab FC
14-02-19 05:00 PM - YBK
Quess East Bengal - Shillong Lajong FC
16-02-19 02:00 PM - RAJIV GANDHI STADIUM
Aizawl FC - Mohun Bagan
16-02-19 05:00 PM - EMS CORPORATION STADIUM
Gokulam Kerala FC - Indian Arrows
17-02-19 02:00 PM - TRC GROUND
Real Kashmir FC - Minerva Punjab FC
17-02-19 05:00 PM - YBK
Quess East Bengal - Churchill Brothers FCG
18-02-19 05:00 PM - JLN NEHRU STADIUM
Shillong Lajong FC - Chennai City FC
21-02-19 05:00 PM - YBK
Quess East Bengal - Aizawl FC
22-02-19 05:00 PM - JLN NEHRU STADIUM
Shillong Lajong FC - Gokulam Kerala FC
23-02-19 02:00 PM - TAU DEVI LAL STADIUM
Minerva Punjab FC - NEROCA FC
24-02-19 02:00 PM - KALINGA STADIUM
Indian Arrows - Real Kashmir FC
24-02-19 05:00 PM - NEHRU STADIUM
Chennai City FC - Mohun Bagan
28-02-19 05:00 PM - YBK
Mohun Bagan - Indian Arrows
01-03-19 05:00 PM - TILAK MAIDAN
Churchill Brothers FCG - Chennai City FC
02-03-19 02:00 PM - RAJIV GANDHI STADIUM
Aizawl FC - Shillong Lajong FC
03-03-19 05:00 PM - EMS CORPORATION STADIUM
Gokulam Kerala FC - NEROCA FC
03-03-19 02:00 PM - TAU DEVI LAL STADIUM
Minerva Punjab FC - Quess East Bengal
