ISL schedule to be finalised by August end

MUMBAI: The full schedule of the inaugural edition of Indian Super League is expected to be finalised by the end of this month.

"The complete schedule is expected to be finalised after the international players draft (in Mumbai on August 21), and would be done, in all probability, by the end of this month," ISL sources said.

The eight-team IPL-style football tournament, promoted jointly by IMG-Reliance and Star India and supported by the All India Football Federation, is tentatively slated to be held from October 12 to December 20, it was learnt.

The international players draft is to feature 49 players hailing from Spain (9 players), France (8), Czech Republic (8), Brazil (5), Portugal (5), Colombia (4), South Korea (2), and one each from Argentina, Canada, Serbia, Senegal, England, Greece, Cameroon and West Africa nation Burkina Faso.

Already seven foreign players, from a total of 56 needed to play in the League, have been directly picked by the ISL franchises.

The domestic players' draft was held last month here and a total of 84 players were picked by the franchises.