The 2025–26 AIFF Elite Youth League, also known as the 2025–26 AIFF U-18 Elite League, was the sixteenth season of the Indian Youth League and marks a return to the under-18 category.
Changes in format Number of participating teams increased to 121. Qualifier and pre-qualification rounds were added The zonal group stage was divided into 10 groups. Groups B,E,G, and H had 8 teams each. Group J had 6 teams. The rest of the groups had 7 teams each. The tournament took place in home and away round-robin format.
Teams A total of 75 teams participated in the zonal group stage.
ClubState/RegionHomeGroup ACorbett FCUttarakhandAmenity Sports Complex, RudrapurHimachal FC Himachal PradeshMinerva Academy, MohaliHimalayan FCSri Dashmesh Martial SA, Anandpur SahibMinerva Academy PunjabMinerva Academy, MohaliPunjab FCRoundglass Sports Academy, MohaliSri Dashmesh Martial Sports AcademySri Dashmesh Martial SA, Anandpur SahibReal KashmirJammu and KashmirTRC, SrinagarGroup BDelhi FCDelhiMinerva Academy, MohaliJuba Sangha FCJuba Sangh, NoidaSudeva DelhiSudeva Football Academy, DelhiLucknow Falcons Football ClubUttar PradeshEkana Sportz City Stadium, LucknowTechtro Lucknow FCTechtro Football Arena, LucknowLakecity FCMadhya Pradesh Delhi Public School, BhopalRajasthan UnitedRajasthanVidhyadhar Nagar Stadium, JaipurZinc Football AcademyZawar Mine Stadium, ZawarGroup CARA FCGujaratAdani Shantigram Ground, AhmedabadSGVP Football Club, JunagadhSGVP Ground, AhmedabadMUM-Dsouza Football Academy MaharashtraReliance Corporate park, MumbaiPune-UKM Kothrud FCGanga Legend, Bavdhan, PuneReliance Foundation Young ChampsReliance Corporate park, MumbaiSports ManiaSports Mania Ground, Pimpri-ChinchwadSSE BFC Soccer Schools, MumbaiCooperage Ground, MumbaiGroup DChurchill BrothersGoa Utorda Sports Complex, UtordaDempo SCDempo Academy, GandaulimFC GoaMonte de Guirim Ground, GuirimGuardian Angel SCNagoa Football Ground, NagoaSesa Football AcademySFA, SircaimSouth Goa United Club of Sports & CultureDon Bosco Ground, FatordaFootball Club MangaloreKarnatakaYenepoya University, MangaloreGroup EAC Milan Academy KeralaKerala BBM Spotland 11-a-side Turf, KozhikodeGokulam KeralaKottappadi Football Stadium, MalappuramKerala BlastersTMK Arena, WadakkancherryMuthoot Football AcademyMuthoot FA, MalappuramAlchemy International FAKarnatakaPadukone Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence, BengaluruBengaluru FCCentre of Excellence, BengaluruKickstart FC Kickstart Kannuru Ground, BengaluruSouth United FCSUFC Ground, BengaluruGroup FFC MadrasTamil NaduFC Madras Academy, MahabalipuramFC Marina Academy, ChennaiFC Marina Centre for Excellence, ChennaiFC TamilionsHome Game Sports Arena, ChennaiMurugappa Youth Football AcademyMurugappa Sports Centre, ChennaiThadam FCVinayaka Mission Research Foundation Ground, ChennaiLFP Football AcademiePondicherryHome Game Sports Arena, ChennaiSreenidi DeccanTelanganaDeccan Arena, HyderabadGroup GAIFF Bhubaneswar AcademyOdishaOdisha Football Academy, BhubaneshwarFAO Academy7th Battalion Ground, BhubaneswarYAFC,ChoudwarCapital Ground, BhubaneswarAlpha Sports AcademyBiharAlpha Sports Academy, PatnaInter KashiUttar PradeshBLW Inter College Football Ground, VaranasiJamshedpur FCJharkhandFlatlets, Jameshpur FC, JamshedpurSAIL Football Academy, BokaroMohan Kumar Mangalam Stadium, BokaroRKM Football AcademyChhattisgarhRKM Football Academy, NarayanpurGroup HAIFF FIFA Talent AcademyOdishaOdisha Football Academy, BhubaneshwarDiamond HarbourWest BengalBidhannagar Municipality Sports Complex, KolkataEast Bengal FCEast Bengal Ground, KolkataKeshab-Uma Charitable Trust FAGangadharpur College Ground, HowrahMohammedanMohammedan Sporting Ground, KolkataMohun BaganMohun Bagan Ground, KolkataSKM Sports FoundationAghornath Park Stadium, KalnaUnited SCKalyani B Stadium, KalyaniGroup IASUFII FAManipurASUFII FAI FA Ground, SenapatiFootball 4 Change AcademySenapati Multi Purpose Ground, SenapatiLamka FAPehlum Lamhil LawmASUFII FAI FA Ground, SenapatiKASA Football Coaching CenterAssamKarbi Anglong Stadium, Karbi AnglongNorthEast UnitedIndira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, GuwahatiShillong LajongMeghalayaSSA Stadium, ShillongGroup JClassic Football AcademyManipurLoitang Football Arena, ImphalElite FASt. Anthony School Ground, ImphalRegular Football Coaching CenterDSA Ground, BishnupurSang-Gai HeroesAngtha WPC Ground, ImphalTYDATYDA Football Ground, ToubulNumaligarh Refinery Limited Football AcademyAssamNRL Township Ground, Numaligarh
Qualifier Round Qualifier Group A
Qualifier Group B
Qualifier Group C
Qualifier Group D
Qualifier Group E
Qualifier Group F
Qualifier Group G
Qualifier Group H
Qualifier Group K
Qualifier Group L
Qualifier Group N
Qualifier Group O
Qualifier Group Q
Qualifier Group R
Qualifier Group T
Qualifier Group U
Qualifier Group X
Qualifier Group Y
Qualifier Group Z
Pre-qualification Round Pre-qualification Group I
Pre-qualification Group J
Pre-qualification Group M
Pre-qualification Group P
Pre-qualification Group S
Pre-qualification Group V
Zonal Group Stage
Zonal Group A
Zonal Group B
Zonal Group C
Zonal Group D
Zonal Group E
Zonal Group F
Zonal Group G
Zonal Group H
Zonal Group I
Zonal Group J
Final Round Playoff Playoff Group A
Playoff Group B
Final Round Qualification Club Qualified as Punjab FC Zonal Group A Champions Sudeva Delhi Zonal Group B Champions Zinc Academy Zonal Group B Runners-up Zonal Group C Champions FC Goa Zonal Group D Champions Bengaluru FC Zonal Group E Champions Gokulam Kerala Zonal Group E Runners-up FC Madras Zonal Group F Champions Jamshedpur FC Zonal Group G Champions FAO Academy Zonal Group G Runners-up East Bengal Zonal Group H Champions Mohun Bagan Zonal Group H Runners-up Football 4 Change Zonal Group I Champions Classic FA Zonal Group J Champions TYDA Final Round Playoff Group A Champions ASUII FA Final Round Playoff Group B Champions
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Knockouts Bracket
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Final
Statistics
Top scorers RankPlayerTeamGoals1 Md Mahmad Sami Sudeva Delhi342 Ashish Chetry Zinc FA253 Rohit Thadam FC23 4 Wangkheirakpam John Singh ASUFII FA 22 5 Hemneichung Lunkim Minerva Academy 19 6 Yaman Sheoran Inter Kashi 18 Vishal Yadav Punjab 8 Daksh Agarwal ARA FC 179 Lamminthang Kipgen ASUFII FA16 Lawmsangzuala Jamshedpur
See also 2026 Reliance Foundation Development League
References