The eighth edition of the Indian Super League is set to begin on November 19, 2021. 11 teams will compete in the country’s premier football competition, with the top four spots in the ISL points table a target for all the clubs with regards to AFC Champions League and AFC Cup playoff qualification.
This is because the qualification procedure of the ISL playoffs remains the same in ISL 2021-22.
How does the ISL points table work?
115 matches (110 league games + five playoffs) will be played over the course of the ISL campaign - all behind closed doors in Goa. The top four teams from the league stages will qualify for the ISL playoffs.
The team that will finish at the top of the ISL points table will be awarded the ISL League Winners Shield and will also earn a place in the AFC Champions League group stage.
Each ISL team will play the other twice in a round-robin format, which means each club will play 20 matches in the league stages. Their results will dictate what they earn:
- Win: 3 points
- Draw: 1 point
- Loss: 0 points
The final position of a club in the standings will be determined by the points won during the league stage games. If two or more teams are level on points, the position in the standings will be decided by the following determining factors (in order):
- Most points earned between the clubs head-to-head in the league stage
- Superior goal difference between the clubs head-to-head in the league stage
- Most goals scored between the clubs head-to-head in the league stage
- Superior goal difference in all league matches
- Most goals scored in all league matches
- Highest fair play ranking
- Drawing of lots
FC Goa and Kerala Blasters played out an entertaining 4-4 draw in match 109 of Indian Super League 2021-22 at GMC Bambolim Stadium in Goa on Sunday, March 6. With this stalemate, the Blasters qualified for the playoffs by ending the league phase on fourth spot while Goa ended their disappointing campaign in ninth place in the standings.
ISL points table 2021-22
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GD | Points |
| 1 | Jamshedpur FC (Q) | 19 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 40 |
| 2 | Hyderabad FC (Q) | 20 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 20 | 38 |
| 3 | ATK Mohun Bagan (Q) | 19 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 37 |
| 4 | Kerala Blasters (Q) | 20 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 34 |
| 5 | Mumbai City FC | 20 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 31 |
| 6 | Bengaluru FC | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 29 |
| 7 | Odisha FC | 20 | 6 | 5 | 9 | -12 | 23 |
| 8 | Chennaiyin FC | 20 | 5 | 5 | 10 | -18 | 20 |
| 9 | FC Goa | 19 | 4 | 7 | 9 | -6 | 18 |
| 10 | NorthEast United FC | 20 | 3 | 5 | 12 | -18 | 14 |
| 11 | SC East Bengal | 20 | 1 | 8 | 11 | -18 | 11 |
Featured photo: Website / Indian Super League
