The Indian Women’s League 2025-26 will kick off on December 20 at the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Kolkata, with Sethu FC taking on Kickstart FC in the opening match. The IWL will be played in two phases, with the first one stretching from December 20 to January 9, 2026, during which the eight teams will play 28 matches, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said on Thursday. The NCoE in Kolkata and the Kalyani Municipal Stadium in Kalyani are the two venues for the league, which is being held in two centralised venues this season.
The second phase of the IWL is set to be held from April 20 to May 10, 2026, thus allowing player availability for the senior and U20 women’s national teams, which will participate in their respective AFC Women’s Asian Cups categories next year. The gap between phases 1 and 2 of the IWL also allows the three national teams ample time to have preparatory camps ahead of the continental campaigns, the AIFF said.
