The Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 playoffs will be played on March 29 and 30, and the semifinals are scheduled for the first week of April.
The top flight of Indian football changed from the 2022-23 season. Six teams, instead of four, would make it to the next round, with the top two directly entering the semifinals.
The remaining four would play one-legged knockouts to complete the roster for the semis. The teams seeded higher would host the knockout games.
The semifinals would be two-legged ties, with the first legs likely to be played on April 2 and 3 and the return legs, on April 6 and 7, respectively.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant, which won the ISL Shield, is the only team to have entered the final four, while FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC lead the race to join it.
Sportstar understands that the playoffs were initially decided to be played in March but the dates were confirmed only after the schedule for the third round of Asian Cup qualifiers was finalised.
As a result, the matches will take place four days after India’s opening qualifier against Bangladesh on March 25.
Meanwhile, eight teams are eyeing the playoffs, including Bengaluru FC, which hosts Chennaiyin FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Tuesday. The Blues, led by Sunil Chhetri, would secure qualification if they beat the Marina Machans.
“We deserve the six points that we won in the last two matches. Now, we have to achieve our objective, which is to arrive in the playoffs,” Bengaluru FC’s head coach Gerard Zaragoza said on the eve of the match.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com