The ISL’s new rule: an Indian striker on the pitch at all times
The 2026-27 season starts on 4 September with three foreigners and an OCI player allowed to start — plus one rule that reshapes every forward line.
J. R. Patel ·
Football news, analysis and explainers
The Indian Super League, Asian club competition and the tactics behind the game — how the table is decided and why Indian sides struggle abroad.
The ISL points system and season format, explained
Three points for a win, one for a draw, two trophies, and a tiebreaker order that decides more than the results do.
J. R. Patel ·
What a false nine actually does
Not a striker who drops deep. A striker whose movement forces the opposition centre-backs into a decision with no good answer.
J. R. Patel ·
Expected goals, explained without the maths
xG is not a judgement on whether a chance should have been scored. It is a measure of how good the chance was.
J. R. Patel ·
Why Indian clubs struggle in Asian competition
The gap is less about talent than about squad depth, continuity and a calendar that works against them.
J. R. Patel ·
How transfer windows work, and why deadline day exists
Two fixed periods a year, registration rules that matter more than the fee, and a deadline that creates its own weather.
J. R. Patel ·