Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has informed Indian Super League (ISL) clubs that Diamond Harbour FC will be at the bottom of the table and will consequently be relegated to the second tier.Diamond Harbour won last season’s Indian Football League (IFL) and were promoted to the top tier. However, the West Bengal-based club did not pay the participation fee of Rs 1.1 crore due to internal issues and have had to give up on their slot.“The reduction in the number of participating clubs in the ISL for the 2026-27 season from 14 to 13 results from one club defaulting on the participation fee payment. Accordingly, relegation will continue to apply at the conclusion of the 2026-27 season on the established basis.“For the avoidance of doubt, Diamond Harbour FC failed to fulfil the participation fee requirement for the 2026-27 season, has not taken up its promoted slot, will not be eligible to earn any points this season and will by default be at the bottom of the table. Accordingly, it will not retain ISL status for 2027-28 and will compete in the IFL that season,” AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan said in an email to the clubs.In simple words, according to a club official, Diamond Harbour will finish at the bottom of the table and, consequently, relegated to the IFL.The carefully worded email – approved by the AIFF’s legal team – was in response to the clubs’ letter seeking clarification on relegation, since the participating clubs were reduced from 14 to 13.According to the AIFF constitution, the seniormost top division league is defined as a competition that implements the principles of promotion and relegation.“AIFF must preserve the sanctity of that (promotion and relegation) principle as one of its ‘Essential Aspects,’ retaining the concept’s importance even where league operations are otherwise delegated. This principle was also reflected operationally in the league rules for the truncated season, under which the bottom-placed club at the conclusion of a season was relegated to the IFL, and the IFL champion was promoted in its place,” said Satyanarayan.The ISL will kick off on Oct 10 and run till May 2027 with the league toppers being crowned the league champions or ISL Shield Winner. The playoff system also makes a return with six teams battling for the ISL trophy.
