Hero ISL 2022-23 Season starts on October 7th in Kochi

Mumbai, : The 2022-23 Hero Indian Super League (ISL) kicks off on October 7^th, 2022 when last season’s runners-up Kerala Blasters host East Bengal FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.

All Hero ISL teams are currently participating in Asia’s oldest competition, the Durand Cup, as they gear up for the Hero ISL season. All Indian football stakeholders have been determined to create a longer football calendar that provides players with more competitive matches throughout the year. The Hero ISL will be followed by the Super Cup in April, 2023.

The 2022-23 season will also be special as fans will be welcomed back to the stadiums after a gap of two seasons. To make it convenient for more fans and families to attend and watch their teams in action, the Hero ISL has created a fixture list with matches taking place on weekends. Each Matchweek is scheduled between Thursday and Sunday, bringing the Hero ISL in line with the top global football leagues.

This season onwards, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) has also introduced a new playoff format for the league, adding two exciting matches into the calendar. The top two teams at the end of the league stage will automatically qualify for the semi-finals. Teams finishing between 3^rd and 6^th will feature in a single-leg playoff to determine the other two semi-finalists.

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Defending champions, Hyderabad FC start the defense of their title on October 9^th in front of their home fans against former champions Mumbai City FC at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium Gachibowli.

2021-22 League Shield Winners Jamshedpur FC are in action two days later, on October 11^th at the JRD Tata Sports Complex against Odisha FC.

Fans can watch India’s biggest derby between ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal FC on October 29^th and February 25^th next year, to be played at the iconic Vivekananda Yuvabharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata.

Featuring 117 matches of high-octane football action, the Hero ISL returns to entertain its fans across ten venues around the country. For the first time ever, the ISL league stage will run for close to five months apart from the playoffs, semi-finals and final. Each club will play 20 league matches – 10 each at home and away through the autumn till next spring as the league stage draws to a close on February 26^th.

New ISL Playoff Format:

Eliminator 1: 3^rd placed team vs 6^th placed team

Eliminator 2: 4^th placed team vs 5^th placed team

Semi-Final 1 1^st Leg: 1^st placed team vs (Winner – Eliminator 2)

Semi-Final 2 1^st Leg: 2^nd placed team vs (Winner – Eliminator 1)

Semi-Final 1 2^nd Leg: (Winner – Eliminator 2) vs 1^st placed team

Semi-Final 2 2^nd Leg: (Winner – Eliminator 1) vs 2^nd placed team

Final: (Winner Semi-Final 1) vs (Winner Semi-Final 2)

Key dates for the 2022-23 Hero ISL season at a glance:
Opening Match: October 7^th, 2022
Last League Stage Matchweek: February 23^rd-26^th,2023
Playoffs, Semifinals and Final: March 2023