The Indian Super League 2022-23 has so far lived up to expectations and the action is only about to intensify with the start date for the ISL 2022-23 playoffs now revealed to be on March 3.
Prior to the commencement of the season, the ISL authorities released the schedule for the league stage fixtures where each team was slated to face the other twice in a double round-robin format.
On February 3, 2023, the Indian Super League released the schedule for the much-anticipated playoffs. Following earlier changes to the format of the playoffs, for the first time in the history of the competition, there will be six teams that qualify for the playoffs, as compared to four in each of the previous seasons.
Indian Super League 2022-23 playoffs format explained
According to the playoffs schedule and its new format, the top two teams, at the end of the league phase, will directly qualify for the two-legged semi-finals, where both teams will play the first leg at their home ground.
Before the semi-final stage, two single-leg knockout fixtures will be staged. These fixtures will see the fourth and fifth-placed team lock horns in Knockout-1 followed by a clash between the third and six-placed sides in Knockout-2.
The matches will take place at the home ground of third and fourth-placed teams, giving them an advantage owing to their superior record in the league stage points table.
The winner of Knockout-1 will then square off against the table-toppers of the league stage in the first semi-final, whereas the winner of Knockout-2 will take on the second-positioned side from the league phase in the other semi-final.
The victorious teams from the two semi-finals will contest for the Indian Super League 2022-23 trophy in the final to be staged on March 18, 2023. The venue for the final is yet to be announced.
Mumbai City FC and Hyderabad FC have already qualified for the ISL 2022-23 playoffs.
Indian Super League 2022-23 playoffs schedule
|
Day and date |
Match |
|
Friday, March 3 |
Knockout 1: 4 (Home) vs 5 (Away) |
|
Saturday, March 4 |
Knockout 2: 3 (Home) vs 6 (Away) |
|
Tuesday, March 7 |
Semi-final 1, 1st leg: 1 (Home) vs Winner of Knockout 1 |
|
Thursday, March 9 |
Semi-final 2, 1st leg: 2 (Home) vs Winner of Knockout 2 |
|
Sunday, March 12 |
Semi-final 1, 2nd leg: Winner of Knockout 1 (Home) vs 1 |
|
Monday, March 13 |
Semi-final 2, 2nd leg: Winner of Knockout 2 (Home) vs 2 |
|
Saturday, March 18 |
ISL 2022-23 final |
Photo credit: Alamy
