Bengaluru FC Opens Its ISL Season at Home — Kickoff Set for October 10

Football is coming back to Sree Kanteerava Stadium, and this time, Bengaluru gets to host the very first match of the season. Bengaluru FC will kick off the 2026-27 Indian Super League campaign at home against Sporting Club Delhi on October 10, with the whistle blowing at 5:00 PM the opening fixture of the entire league's new season.

It's not every year that the Blues get to open the ISL calendar on their own turf. This time, they do.

A double-header to start the season

Bengaluru's match won't be the only game that evening. A few hours later, at 7:30 PM, FC Goa host Chennaiyin FC at the Fatorda Stadium giving the league's opening day a genuine double-header feel, with two fixtures bookending the evening on either coast.

For Bengaluru fans, though, the focus is simple: the Blues get first crack at the season, in front of their own crowd, against a Sporting Club Delhi side making its own mark on the competition.

What's changed about this ISL season

This year's edition brings back the traditional home-and-away format across Phase 1, which runs from October 10 all the way through to January 17, 2027 78 matches in total, spread across 13 clubs. The league has also leaned harder into weekend football this time around, with roughly 68% of Phase 1 matches scheduled for Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays, a shift organisers say came directly from fan feedback.

Thirteen clubs make up the field this season: Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, Churchill Brothers, East Bengal FC, FC Goa, Inter Kashi, Kerala Blasters FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Mumbai City FC, NorthEast United FC, Odisha FC, Punjab FC, and Sporting Club Delhi the newest addition to the competition.

Bengaluru's early home schedule

The Blues won't have to wait long for a second home fixture either. Just a week after the opener, on October 17, Bengaluru FC host Chennaiyin FC again at Sree Kanteerava giving the home crowd back-to-back matchdays to kick off the campaign. After that, the team heads out for an away fixture against NorthEast United FC on October 30, before returning home in late November to face Mumbai City FC.

For fans making plans around the new season, that means two home matches inside the first ten days a solid stretch to catch the team early, before the travel schedule picks up.

Why this matters beyond the fixture list

Bengaluru FC has been one of the more consistent draws at Sree Kanteerava over the years, and an opening-day home fixture carries a bit more weight than a mid-season one it's the first chance for the crowd, the new signings and a possibly refreshed squad to set the tone for the months ahead. Last season ended with East Bengal lifting the title, so there's no shortage of ambition among the chasing pack heading into this one, Bengaluru included.

Beyond the result itself, a season-opening fixture at home is also simply good news for the city's football culture it means the first real roar of the ISL season belongs to Bengaluru's own stadium, not someone else's.

What fans should know

October 10, 5:00 PM, Sree Kanteerava Stadium that's the date to pencil in. Ticketing details for the opener haven't been detailed in the fixture announcement, so fans should keep an eye on Bengaluru FC's official channels closer to the date for booking information and any pre-match events around the stadium.

Track Bengaluru FC's season and other city sports updates on our Bengaluru sports page.

Source

Source: Indian Super League official fixture announcement; India Sports Hub, late September 2026.