THE WAIT IS OVER. The Indian Super League will kick off its 2017-18 season with much fanfare on 17th November at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, the same stadium which will host the grand finale of the prestigious FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
Held simultaneously with the top flight I-League, this time the ISL season will run from November 2017 to March 2018. There will be a total of 90 regular season matches played on a double leg round robin basis between the 10 participating franchises, followed by 5 play off matches... two double-leg semi finals and one grand finale. The winner will get to take part in the AFC Cup qualifiers of 2019.
The matches will take place between Wednesday and Sunday, most kicking off at 8 pm IST, with an additional afternoon game on Sundays kicking off at 5:30 pm.
The fixtures of the entire regular season have been announced by the organizers, so here's all of it... sorted by date, time, venue and match number.
Match 1 - 17 Nov, Friday 20:00 IST - ATK vs Kerala Blasters FC at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
Match 2 - 18 Nov, Saturday 20:00 IST - NorthEast United FC vs Jamshedpur FC atIndira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Match 3 - 19 Nov, Sunday, 17:30 IST - Chennaiyin FC vs FC Goa at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
Match 4 - 19 Nov, Sunday, 20:00 IST - Bengaluru FC vs Mumbai City FC at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
Match 5 - 22 Nov, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - FC Pune City vs Delhi Dynamos FC at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
Match 6 - 23 Nov, Thursday, 20:00 IST - Chennaiyin FC vs NorthEast United FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
Match 7 - 24 Nov, Friday, 20:00 IST - Kerala Blasters FC vs Jamshedpur FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
Match 8 - 25 Nov, Saturday, 20:00 IST - Mumbai City FC vs FC Goa at Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
Match 9 - 26 Nov, Sunday 17:30 IST - ATK vs FC Pune City at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
Match 10 - 26 Nov, Sunday 20:00 IST - Bengaluru FC vs Delhi Dynamos FC at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
Match 11 - 29 Nov, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - FC Pune City vs Mumbai City FC at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
Match 12 - 30 Nov, Thursday, 20:00 IST - FC Goa vs Bengaluru FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa
Match 13 - 01 Dec, Friday, 20:00 IST - Jamshedpur FC vs ATK at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur
Match 14 - 02 Dec, Saturday, 20:00 IST - Delhi Dynamos FC vs NorthEast United FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
Match 15 - 03 Dec, Sunday 17:30 IST - FC Pune City vs Chennaiyin FC at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
Match 16 - 03 Dec, Sunday, 20:00 IST - Kerala Blasters FC vs Mumbai City FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
Match 17 - 06 Dec, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - Delhi Dynamos FC vs Jamshedpur FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
Match 18 - 07 Dec, Thursday, 20:00 IST - Chennaiyin FC vs ATK at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
Match 19 - 08 Dec, Friday, 20:00 IST - NorthEast United FC vs Bengaluru FC at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Match 20 - 09 Dec, Saturday, 20:00 IST - FC Goa vs Kerala Blasters FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa
Match 21 - 10 Dec, Sunday, 17:30 IST - Jamshedpur FC vs FC Pune City at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur
Match 22 - 10 Dec, Sunday, 20:00 IST - Mumbai City FC vs Chennaiyin FC at Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
Match 23 - 14 Dec, Thursday, 20:00 IST -FC Pune City vs Bengaluru FC at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
Match 24 - 15 Dec, Friday, 20:00 IST - Kerala Blasters FC vs NorthEast United FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
Match 25 - 16 Dec, Saturday, 20:00 IST - Delhi Dynamos FC vs FC Goa at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
Match 26 - 17 Dec, Sunday, 17:30 IST - Bengaluru FC vs Chennaiyin FC at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
Match 27 - 17 Dec, Sunday 20:00 IST - Mumbai City FC vs ATK at Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
Match 28 - 20 Dec, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - NorthEast United FC vs Mumbai City FC at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Match 29 - 21 Dec, Thursday, 20:00 IST - Bengaluru FC vs Jamshedpur FC at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
Match 30 - 22 Dec, Friday, 20:00 IST - Chennaiyin FC vs Kerala Blasters FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
Match 31 - 23 Dec, Saturday, 17:30 IST - FC Goa vs FC Pune City at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa
Match 32 - 23 Dec, Saturday, 20:00 IST - ATK vs Delhi Dynamos FC at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
Match 33 - 28 Dec, Thursday, 20:00 IST - Jamshedpur FC vs Chennaiyin FC at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur
Match 34 - 29 Dec, Friday, 20:00 IST - Mumbai City FC vs Delhi Dynamos FC at Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
Match 35 - 30 Dec, Saturday, 20:00 IST - FC Pune City vs NorthEast United FC at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
Match 36 - 31 Dec, Sunday, 17:30 IST - Kerala Blasters FC vs Bengaluru FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
Match 37 - 31 Dec, Sunday, 20:00 IST - ATK vs FC Goa at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
Match 38 - 04 Jan, Thursday, 20:00 IST - Kerala Blasters FC vs FC Pune City at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
Match 39 - 05 Jan, Friday, 20:00 IST - Jamshedpur FC vs Mumbai City FC at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur
Match 40 - 06 Jan, Saturday, 20:00 IST - NorthEast United FC vs FC Goa at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Match 41 - 07 Jan, Sunday, 17:30 IST - Bengaluru FC vs ATK at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
Match 42 - 07 Jan, Sunday, 20:00 IST - Chennaiyin FC vs Delhi Dynamos FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
Match 43 - 10 Jan, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - Delhi Dynamos FC vs Kerala Blasters FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
Match 44 - 11 Jan, Thursday 20:00 IST - FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa
Match 45 - 12 Jan, Friday 20:00 IST -NorthEast United FC vs ATK at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Match 46 -13 Jan, Saturday, 20:00 IST - Chennaiyin FC vs FC Pune City at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
Match 47 - 14 Jan, Sunday, 17:30 IST - Mumbai City FC vs Kerala Blasters FC at Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
Match 48 - 14 Jan, Sunday, 20:00 IST - Delhi Dynamos FC vs Bengaluru FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
Match 49 - 17 Jan, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - Jamshedpur FC vs Kerala Blasters FC at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur
Match 50 - 18 Jan, Thursday, 20:00 IST - Mumbai City FC vs Bengaluru FC at Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
Match 51 - 19 Jan, Friday, 20:00 IST - NorthEast United FC vs Chennaiyin FC at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Match 52 - 20 Jan, Saturday, 20:00 IST - FC Pune City vs ATK at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
Match 53 - 21 Jan, Sunday, 17:30 IST - Jamshedpur FC vs Delhi Dynamos FC at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur
Match 54 - 21 Jan, Sunday, 20:00 IST - Kerala Blasters FC vs FC Goa at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
Match 55 - 24 Jan, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - FC Pune City vs Jamshedpur FC at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
Match 56 - 25 Jan, Thursday, 20:00 IST - ATK vs Chennaiyin FC at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
Match 57 - 26 Jan, Friday, 20:00 IST - Bengaluru FC vs NorthEast United FC at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
Match 58 - 27 Jan, Saturday. 20:00 IST - Kerala Blasters FC vs Delhi Dynamos FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
Match 59 - 28 Jan, Sunday, 17:30 IST - FC Goa vs Mumbai City FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa
Match 60 - 28 Jan, Sunday, 20:00 IST - ATK vs Jamshedpur FC at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
Match 61 - 31 Jan, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - Chennaiyin FC vs Bengaluru FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
Match 62 - 01 Feb, Thursday, 20:00 IST - Mumbai City FC vs Jamshedpur FC, Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
Match 63 - 02 Feb, Friday, 20:00 IST - FC Pune City vs Kerala Blasters FC at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
Match 64 - 03 Feb, Saturday - 20:00 IST - ATK vs Bengaluru FC at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
Match 65 - 04 Feb, Sunday, 17:30 IST - Delhi Dynamos FC vs Mumbai City FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
Match 66 - 04 Feb, Sunday, 20:00 IST - FC Goa vs NorthEast United FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa
Match 67 - 07 Feb, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - NorthEast United FC vs FC Pune City at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Match 68 - 08 Feb, Thursday, 20:00 IST - Bengaluru FC vs FC Goa at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
Match 69 - 09 Feb, Friday, 20:00 IST - Kerala Blasters FC vs ATK at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
Match 70 - 10 Feb, Saturday, 20:00 IST - Jamshedpur FC vs NorthEast United FC at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur
Match 71 - 11 Feb, Sunday, 17:30 IST - Mumbai City FC vs FC Pune City at Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
Match 72 - 11 Feb, Sunday at 20:00 IST - Delhi Dynamos FC vs Chennaiyin FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
Match 73 - 14 Feb, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - NorthEast United FC vs Delhi Dynamos FC at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Match 74 - 15 Feb, Thursday 20:00 IST - FC Goa vs Chennaiyin FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa
Match 75 - 16 Feb, Friday, 20:00 IST - Bengaluru FC vs FC Pune City at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
Match 76 - 17 Feb, Saturday, 20:00 IST - NorthEast United FC vs Kerala Blasters FC at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati
Match 77 - 18 Feb, Sunday, 17:30 IST - ATK vs Mumbai City FC at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
Match 78 - 18 Feb, Sunday, 20:00 IST - Chennaiyin FC vs Jamshedpur FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
Match 79 - 21 Feb, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - FC Goa vs Delhi Dynamos FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa
Match 80 - 22 Feb, Thursday, 20:00 IST - Mumbai City FC vs NorthEast United FC at Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
Match 81 - 23 Feb, Friday, 20:00 IST - Kerala Blasters FC vs Chennaiyin FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
Match 82 - 24 Feb, Saturday, 20:00 IST - Delhi Dynamos FC vs ATK at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
Match 83 - 25 Feb, Sunday, 17:30 IST - FC Pune City vs FC Goa at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune
Match 84 - 25 Feb, Sunday, 20:00 IST - Jamshedpur FC vs Bengaluru FC at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur
Match 85 - 28 Feb, Wednesday, 20:00 IST - FC Goa vs ATK at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa
Match 86 - 01 Mar, Thursday, 20:00 IST - Bengaluru FC vs Kerala Blasters FC at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
Match 87 - 02 Mar, Friday, 20:00 IST - Delhi Dynamos FC vs FC Pune City at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
Match 88 - 03 Mar, Saturday, 20:00 IST - Chennaiyin FC vs Mumbai City FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
Match 89 - 04 Mar, Sunday at 17:30 IST - Jamshedpur FC vs FC Goa at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur
Match 90 - 04 Mar, Sunday, 20:00 IST - ATK vs NorthEast United FC at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
The playoffs will likely be over by mid March, which leaves AIFF a month to organize the much touted Indian Super Cup featuring top teams from I-League and ISL. The football season will conclude with the Indian national team taking part in the SAFF Championship in Bangladesh around May 2018.