KOLKATA: Marred by controversy in the build-up, the curtailed Indian Super League made a dramatic end with East Bengal claiming the title, and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Kalyan Chaubey assured that the tournament would return in a full-fledged format next season.
Twenty-two years after their last national league triumph, East Bengal finally ended their long wait for glory by defeating Inter Kashi 2-1 in a thrilling ISL 2025-26 finale at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan here Thursday night.
“Of course we will see a full-fledged ISL next season,” Chaubey told reporters after the match.
Mohammed Rashid emerged the unlikely hero with a decisive 72nd minute strike after league top-scorer Youssef Ezzejjari had cancelled out Alfred Planas’ early goal soon after the break.
The win helped East Bengal finish on top with 26 points from 13 matches, edging Mohun Bagan Super Giant on superior goal difference after both Kolkata giants ended level on points.
Hailing the rivalry between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, Chaubey said: "Whenever there is competition, it is always healthy for football. The Kolkata derby between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal is among the biggest rivalries in world football.
"East Bengal had been lagging behind over the last few years, but the way they have come back this season will immensely benefit Bengal football.
“As long as the Mohun Bagan-East Bengal rivalry stays alive, Bengal football and Indian football will stay alive.”
The 2025–26 ISL season kicked off on February 14, a delay of five months due to financial and governance deadlock after the expiry of the Master Rights Agreement between the AIFF and FSDL.
Each team got to play only a maximum of 13 matches, as opposed to 24 last season.
"I never said football would stop in India,” Chaubey said.
“This season we organised 21 tournaments and close to 2,100 matches. Never before in Indian football history have so many matches been played in a single season.”
“Yes, there were crises and some controversies too. Sometimes controversies are even created because they keep people interested. But I strongly believe Indian football is moving forward and will continue to progress this way.”
ISL's future is still uncertain amid a fresh deadlock between clubs and the AIFF over commercial and broadcast structures.
Several franchises have pushed for a club-led operational and commercial model, while uncertainty over the roadmap has stalled player contracts and renewals across teams.
At East Bengal too, head coach Oscar Bruzon had earlier publicly announced that he may not continue if clarity over the ISL's future does not emerge soon.
Chaubey said Indian football had already endured enough turbulence this season after the league remained suspended for seven months.
“Anyone who follows Indian football knows the sport came to a standstill for seven months after the expiry of the 15-year agreement between AIFF and FSDL.
"For the last eight years there was a system in place and suddenly there was uncertainty. At one stage, it even looked like the league would not happen.”
“The Super Cup started late, players lacked match fitness because there were not enough games. So as an organiser, I feel satisfied that AIFF managed to bring everybody together and successfully conduct the tournament.”
He said the competitiveness of the league despite the truncated format was the biggest positive.
“The bigger achievement is the way the tournament became so competitive. The way Mohun Bagan and East Bengal kept fighting for the title till the very last day, I don’t think we have ever witnessed such an intense ISL season before.
“We made it possible through God’s grace and through everyone’s hard work.”
There was much drama before the final round matches with five teams -- East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Mumbai City FC, Punjab FC and Jamshedpur FC -- in the title race heading into the final round of simultaneous matches on Thursday.
With teams playing only 13 matches this season, compared to 24 last year, the title race remained wide open till the very end.
Mohun Bagan defeated Sporting Club Delhi 2-1 at Salt Lake Stadium, while Mumbai City FC defeated Punjab FC 2-0 in New Delhi. Jamshedpur FC played a goalless draw against Odisha FC at home.