 "ISL 2023-24 Playoffs starts on 19 April with six of the best teams from the league phase. ISL image")
The league phase of Indian Super League (2023-24) got over on Monday with Mohun Bagan Super Giants clinching their first-ever League Winners Shield with a 2-1 win over Mumbai City FC at the Salt Lake Stadium. The end of league phase means the stage is set for the knockouts, semi-finals and the final for the ISL Cup.
Before the knockouts begin, here’s a complete explainer on the format, teams, dates and venues.
The top six teams at the end of the ISL league phase qualify for the playoffs which means apart from Mohun Bagan, Mumbai City, FC Goa, Odisha FC, Kerala Blasters and Chennaiyin FC have qualified for the playoffs.
Format
As per ISL playoffs format, the top two teams from the league table directly qualify for the semi-finals. The teams which finished third to the sixth will play a single-leg playoff in a knockout format to decide the remaining two semi-finalists.
ISL 2023-24 playoffs schedule and venues
19th April: Knockout 1 – Odisha FC (home) vs Kerala Blasters at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar
20th April: Knockout 2 – FC Goa (home) vs Chennaiyin FC at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa
23rd April: Semifinal 1 (First leg) – Winner of Knockout 1 (home) vs Mohun Bagan Super Giant
24th April: Semifinal 2 (First leg) – Winner of Knockout 2 (home) vs Mumbai City FC
28th April: Semifinal 1 (Second leg) – Mohun Bagan Super Giant (home) vs Winner of Knockout 1 at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
29th April: Semifinal 2 (Second leg) – Mumbai City FC (home) vs Winner of Knockout 2 at Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
The venues for semifinal 1 and 2 first legs will depend upon the teams that qualify from the knockouts.
The ISL final will be played on 4 May but the venue for it has not yet been announced.