Indian Women's League 2026-27 season to begin on November 13 with eight teams

The 2026-27 season of the Indian Women's League (IWL), India's premier women's club football competition, will begin on November 13. Eight teams will contest the title this time. Matches will be played in Kolkata, Jamshedpur and Bengaluru.

The season is being seen as important for the development of women's club football in India. The league is providing a platform for the country's talented women footballers to compete.

Six teams from the last season will play. They are East Bengal FC, Sethu FC, Kickstart FC, Nita Football Academy, Gokulam Kerala FC and Garhwal United FC. Two more teams will also play this time. Hops FC and Juba Sangha FC earned promotion by finishing first and second respectively in the 2025-26 season of IWL 2.

Defending champions East Bengal FC will again look to retain the title. In the last season, the team played superbly, winning 13 matches and losing only one.

Among the players, East Bengal FC's Fazila Ikwaput won the award for the top scorer last season with 20 goals. Nita Football Academy's Pyari Xaxa and Sethu FC's Linda Kom also made their mark with attacking play.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Capri Sports have a 15-year partnership covering the commercial development and marketing rights of IWL and IWL 2. The emphasis is on giving Indian women's football more opportunities and platforms.

AIFF Deputy General Secretary M. Satyanarayan said the Indian Women's League is an important foundation for the development of women's football in India. According to him, the contest between eight teams will give players from across the country a chance to make their mark at the national level.

Satyanarayan also said IWL 2 gives clubs and players a route to progress within the country's football structure. He expressed hope that the coming season would be exciting.