Panaji: The Indian Football League (IFL) will open in picturesque Srinagar for the first time with Real Kashmir FC taking on debutants Nagaland United at the TRC Football Stadium on Oct 30.The IFL is Indian football’s second tier football league behind the Indian Super League (ISL).Despite receiving less importance than the top tier for several years, IFL — previously I-League — has proved to be a hugely competitive league, with the winners earning a ticket to the top tier. Last season, the viewership for the league was four times higher than in 2024-25.Now, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and participating clubs are keen to take the league a notch higher and believe the opener in Kashmir will help attract attention at the start.“The weather is nice, the valley is the most beautiful at this time of the year, and people from every nook and corner of the country are holidaying here,” Real Kashmir co-owner Arshad Shawl told TOI on Tuesday. “The AIFF would have also felt that this is the best place to start the IFL, since it’s holiday season and a big crowd is expected.”Significantly, Real Kashmir Football Club, an eight-part Hindi series, has been nominated in the Drama Series category at the 2026 International Emmy Awards that recognise television series produced outside the US.“We are celebrating football, celebrating Real Kashmir’s nomination to the Emmy’s. It builds great hype (around) the club, the local talent. It’s the best time,” said Shawl, who describes Real Kashmir as a club that represents resilience, grassroots development, and the transformative power of sport.The IFL will have 11 teams this season with Nagaland United (Arunachal Pradesh) and Samaleswari SC (Odisha) making their much-awaited debut. Clubs have spent heavily on building quality squads with Jorge Pereyra Diaz (Samaleswari) and Diego Mauricio (Rajasthan FC) among the star attractions.Nagaland have acquired the license of former I-League champions Aizawl FC while Samaleswari have taken over Delhi FC.“Last season, despite being a truncated campaign, the league generated a lot of interest, and the viewership figures were very encouraging,” said AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan. “With new entrants and new venues coming into the league, there is a lot to look forward to. All of this will add to the excitement around the IFL.”
