ISL set for Sony TV and YouTube streaming from the 2026-27 season

The Indian Super League (ISL) is set for a new broadcast arrangement from the 2026-27 season, with Sony Sports Network and YouTube poised to take over the league's television and digital coverage. 

According to Khel Now, the ISL governing council has reached an agreement with Sony and Google for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons. Sony Sports Network is set to acquire the satellite television rights for the Indian subcontinent, while Google will stream every match on YouTube in India and worldwide.

The development comes ahead of the ISL's October 10 start and as the competition enters its first season under a new club-led commercial model.

Under the structure announced by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in July, participating clubs hold the commercial rights to the ISL, while the federation retains administrative control and oversight of key operational matters.

Sony returns to ISL coverage

Sony Sports Network previously broadcast the ISL during the 2025-26 season after FanCode, which had secured the league's media rights for that campaign, sublicensed the television coverage to Sony.

FanCode had acquired the 2025-26 rights for ₹8.62 crore through the AIFF tender process, while retaining digital streaming rights.

The proposed new arrangement would therefore give Sony a direct role in the television coverage of the league's next two seasons.

YouTube takes digital coverage

The more significant change comes on the digital side, with YouTube set to stream every ISL match in India as well as internationally.

The move gives the league a global digital distribution platform and potentially provides clubs with access to detailed audience and viewing data. The possibility of YouTube streaming had emerged during negotiations in August, when Google informed ISL clubs about how it could support the competition through live matches on the platform.

The arrangement also comes after months of uncertainty around the ISL's broadcast future. In August, clubs had opened discussions with broadcasters, including Zee and Sony, after limited interest in the formal media-rights process.

A new commercial phase

The broadcast agreement is particularly important because the 2026-27 campaign represents the first season in which ISL clubs will control the competition's commercial rights.

The AIFF said the club-led model was intended to give teams greater control over the league's commercial direction and support a more sustainable ecosystem for Indian football.

The league is scheduled to begin on October 10 and run through May 2027. Thirteen teams are currently listed for the competition, although Churchill Brothers' participation remains subject to regulatory approvals.

If the Sony and YouTube agreements are formally completed as reported, the ISL will enter its new commercial era with a combination of traditional television distribution and global digital streaming.