AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: The 2025-26 season of the I-League 3, the fourth tier of the Indian men’s football league system, will commence on April 27, 2026, with four groups being hosted in four different venues, where the clubs will play each other in a single round-robin format.

Group A and Group B matches will be played in Imphal at the Khuman Lampak Stadium and the SAI Turf Ground, respectively, while Group C fixtures will take place at the Mulna Football Stadium in Balaghat, and Group D at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru.

At the end of the group stage, the top team from each group, along with the two best second-placed teams, will qualify for the Final Round. The Final Round will be conducted in a centralised single round-robin format.

The top two teams at the end of the Final Round will earn promotion to I-League 2 2026-27.

On the opening day, Group A will witness FC Raengdai take on ARA FC, while Mawlai Sport Club face Sikkim Brotherhood FC at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal. In Group C, BLG - The Diamond Rock FC will play KLASA FC, followed by Kuppuraj FC taking on Chhaygaon FC at the Mulna Football Stadium in Balaghat.

Group D action will also kick off on the same day, with FC Agniputhra facing Techtro Swades United FC, and Royal Rangers Football Club meeting FC Banaras Baghpat at the CSE Football Arena in Bengaluru.

Group B matches will begin on April 28, with TRAU FC taking on Mumbay Football Club, while Samaleshwari SC face Zinc Football Academy later in the afternoon at the SAI Turf Ground in Imphal.

A total of 20 teams will participate in I-League 3 2025-26, divided into four groups of five teams each.

Group A: FC Raengdai, Sikkim Brotherhood Football Club, Sunrise Club Orissa, ARA FC, Mawlai Sport Club
Group B: TRAU FC, Zinc Football Academy, Clube de Salgaocar, Mumbay Football Club, Samaleshwari SC
Group C: BLG – The Diamond Rock FC, Chhaygaon FC, Citadel Godavari Legends FC, KLASA FC, Kuppuraj FC
Group D: FC Agniputhra, FC Banaras Baghpat, New Friends Club Dantewada, Techtro Swades United FC, Royal Rangers Football Club

Among the participating teams, TRAU FC and KLASA FC were relegated from I-League 2 2024-25 after finishing eighth and ninth, respectively.

I-League 3 2025-26 Group Stage Fixtures

Group A – Khuman Lampak Stadium, Imphal

April 27, 2026
Match 1: FC Raengdai vs ARA FC, 09:00 IST
Match 2: Mawlai Sport Club vs Sikkim Brotherhood Football Club, 15:00 IST

April 29, 2026
Match 3: Sunrise Club Orissa vs Mawlai Sport Club, 09:00 IST
Match 4: Sikkim Brotherhood Football Club vs ARA FC, 15:00 IST

May 1, 2026
Match 5: Sikkim Brotherhood Football Club vs FC Raengdai, 09:00 IST
Match 6: Sunrise Club Orissa vs ARA FC, 15:00 IST

May 3, 2026
Match 7: ARA FC vs Mawlai Sport Club, 09:00 IST
Match 8: FC Raengdai vs Sunrise Club Orissa, 15:00 IST

May 5, 2026
Match 9: Sunrise Club Orissa vs Sikkim Brotherhood Football Club, 09:00 IST
Match 10: Mawlai Sport Club vs FC Raengdai, 15:00 IST

Group B: SAI Turf Ground, Imphal

April 28, 2026
Match 1: TRAU FC vs Mumbay Football Club, 09:00 IST
Match 2: Samaleshwari SC vs Zinc Football Academy, 15:00 IST

April 30, 2026
Match 3: Clube de Salgaocar vs Samaleshwari SC, 09:00 IST
Match 4: Zinc Football Academy vs Mumbay Football Club, 15:00 IST

May 2, 2026
Match 5: Zinc Football Academy vs TRAU FC, 09:00 IST
Match 6: Clube de Salgaocar vs Mumbay Football Club, 15:00 IST

May 4, 2026
Match 7: Mumbay Football Club vs Samaleshwari SC, 09:00 IST
Match 8: TRAU FC vs Clube de Salgaocar, 15:00 IST

May 6, 2026
Match 9: Clube de Salgaocar vs Zinc Football Academy, 09:00 IST
Match 10: Samaleshwari SC vs TRAU FC, 15:00 IST

Group C – Mulna Football Stadium, Balaghat

April 27, 2026
Match 1: BLG - The Diamond Rock FC vs KLASA FC, 09:00 IST
Match 2: Kuppuraj FC vs Chhaygaon FC, 16:00 IST

April 29, 2026
Match 3: Citadel Godavari Legends FC vs Kuppuraj FC, 09:00 IST
Match 4: Chhaygaon FC vs KLASA FC, 16:00 IST

May 1, 2026
Match 5: Chhaygaon FC vs BLG - The Diamond Rock FC, 09:00 IST
Match 6: Citadel Godavari Legends FC vs KLASA FC, 16:00 IST

May 3, 2026
Match 7: KLASA FC vs Kuppuraj FC, 09:00 IST
Match 8: BLG - The Diamond Rock FC vs Citadel Godavari Legends FC, 16:00 IST

May 5, 2026
Match 9: Citadel Godavari Legends FC vs Chhaygaon FC, 09:00 IST
Match 10: Kuppuraj FC vs BLG - The Diamond Rock FC, 16:00 IST

Group D, CSE Football Arena, Bengaluru

April 27, 2026
Match 1: FC Agniputhra vs Techtro Swades United FC, 09:00 IST
Match 2: Royal Rangers Football Club vs FC Banaras Baghpat, 16:00 IST

April 29, 2026
Match 3: New Friends Club, Dantewada vs Royal Rangers Football Club, 09:00 IST
Match 4: FC Banaras Baghpat vs Techtro Swades United FC, 16:00 IST

May 1, 2026
Match 5: FC Banaras Baghpat vs FC Agniputhra, 09:00 IST
Match 6: New Friends Club, Dantewada vs Techtro Swades United FC, 16:00 IST

May 3, 2026
Match 7: Techtro Swades United FC vs Royal Rangers Football Club, 09:00 IST
Match 8: FC Agniputhra vs New Friends Club, Dantewada, 16:00 IST

May 5, 2026
Match 9: New Friends Club, Dantewada vs FC Banaras Baghpat, 09:00 IST
Match 10: Royal Rangers Football Club vs FC Agniputhra, 16:00 IST