This season, the IWL will be expanded to an eight-team league, with last season’s IWL 2 champions Sreebhumi FC (West Bengal), and runners-up NITA Football Academy (Odisha) joining as new entrants.

The league will commence on January 10 with a double-header, as defending champions Odisha FC take on East Bengal FC at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar at 3 pm IST, followed by the clash between Gokulam Kerala FC and Sreebhumi FC at the Payyanad Stadium, in Manjeri at 4 pm IST.

The teams will compete for the coveted title in the packed season which will see them travelling across major cities including Kolkata, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Chennai and Bhubaneswar during the three-month action.