15 Best Football Clubs in India (2026): Rankings, Trophies, & History

Mohun Bagan once again leads the ranking of the best football clubs in India.

The Mariners are valued at ₹41.4 Cr, the highest value ever for an Indian football club, according to Transfermarkt.

With roughly 250 trophies won in both major and minor competitions, Mohun Bagan stands as the most successful club in Indian football history. With over 130 major trophies to their credit, East Bengal FC follows closely behind. For generations, the Derby ruled Indian football.

Twenty years ago, Indian clubs rarely looked beyond domestic football. Today, ISL teams are signing star internationals, playing in Asia, and spending record transfer fees.

Today, clubs compete in the Indian Super League (ISL), the Indian Football League (formerly I-League), the Durand Cup, the Federation Cup, the AIFF Super Cup, the IFA Shield, and AFC competitions.

The old guard never disappeared. Mohun Bagan and East Bengal still set the benchmark, but clubs like Mumbai City, Bengaluru FC, Punjab FC, and FC Goa have raised the standard of professional football.

The top football clubs in India ranking also looks at recent success, player development, fan culture, and the influence each club has had on Indian football.

Some clubs have built their reputation over a century. Others changed Indian football in the last decade. This list brings both together.

Quick answer: Mohun Bagan Super Giant is widely regarded as the best football club in India because of its historic success, domestic trophies, strong fan base, and continued performances in the Indian Super League. However, clubs such as Mumbai City FC, East Bengal FC, Bengaluru FC, FC Goa, and Odisha FC have also established themselves among the country’s leading football teams.

Ranking Criteria

We ranked each club after looking at more than just trophies. Every club was judged using the same factors to give a fair picture of its place in Indian football.

• Major trophies won in national competitions.
• Recent performances over the last five seasons.
• League consistency over multiple years.
• Success in AFC competitions and other continental tournaments.
• Fan support and influence on Indian football.
• Youth development and academy system.
• Historical impact on Indian football.

List of Top 15 Best Football Clubs in India (Ranked)

15.Gokulam Kerala FC– 3 Major Trophies

Club Profile

Eight years is not a long time in football. Gokulam Kerala FC did not need any longer. Founded in 2017, the Malabarians arrived without the history, fan base, or trophy haul of Indian football’s traditional giants. What followed was one of the fastest rises Indian club football has seen.

Kolkata was where the rest of Indian football started paying attention. In the 2019 Durand Cup final, Gokulam faced Mohun Bagan in front of a crowd that expected the famous club to win.

Marcus Joseph had other ideas. His two goals secured a 2-1 victory and handed Gokulam their first major trophy. Overnight, the club went from newcomer to a team the rest of Indian football could no longer ignore.

That victory was only the start. Gokulam became the first club from Kerala to win the I-League in 2020-21. A year later, they defended their title. They became the first club in 15 years to defend the I-League title.

No other Kerala club had reached those heights. Continental football came next. The Malabarians built their team by focusing on youth football, reserve squads, and player development.

The trophies matter, but so does the speed of the rise. Many new football clubs in India spend years searching for an identity.

Gokulam found theirs almost immediately. In one of the top football states, they became one of the best football clubs in India and the fastest-growing professional football clubs in India.

Eight years after their launch, Gokulam no longer play like newcomers. They expect to challenge for trophies every season.

14. Churchill Brothers FC-14 Major Trophies

Club Profile

Two I-League titles, three Durand Cups, one Federation Cup, and two IFA Shields place Churchill Brothers among the most successful football clubs in India. And that kind of legendary run is no fluke. For almost a decade, title challengers knew one thing.

The Red Machines would be there until the final weeks of the season. Churchill stayed in the title race season after season while rivals came and went. For more than a decade, they remained one of the I-League top clubs every title contender had to reckon with.

Churchill also earned respect beyond Indian football. In 2010 and 2014, they moved from the AFC Cup group stage to the Round of 16. Few Indian clubs achieved this at that time.

Those AFC Cup campaigns earned Churchill respect well beyond Goa and showed Indian clubs could compete in Asia.

Winning teams changed, but the standard stayed high. Every successful Churchill side had a spine. Gouramangi Singh marshalled the defence. Lenny Rodrigues dictated the tempo in midfield. Dharmaraj Ravanan rarely gave forwards an easy afternoon.

Churchill always trusted Indian players. The club gave them responsibility and expected results. That trust worked well over the years. As a result, the Red Machines are one of the historic football teams of India.

The 2024-25 I-League season brought Churchill Brothers back into the spotlight. They finished first on the field. Then, the title race went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Later, it awarded the championship to Inter Kashi.

The standings changed. Churchill’s reputation did not. Even today, the Red Machines remain one of the toughest names to face in Indian club football.

13. Dempo SC-28 Major Trophies

Club Profile

In 2008, Armando Colaco’s side became the first Indian club to reach the AFC Cup semi-finals after beating Home United in Singapore. The run set a new benchmark for Indian club football in Asia. It came during Dempo SC’s greatest era.

For much of the 2000s, the road to India’s league title ran through Dempo SC. The Golden Eagles set the pace while others tried to catch them. Dempo won five national league titles, the Federation Cup, the Durand Cup, and two Super Cups.

No Goan club had a more successful time, and few professional football clubs in India were as consistent.

Winning came from Colaco’s great tactics and the team’s effort. Mahesh Gawli read the game brilliantly at the back. Climax Lawrence kept midfield under control. Clifford Miranda opened up defences from the left.

Dempo has long backed young footballers instead of just seeking stars. This commitment to growth defines the club. Its academy is one of the strongest in the country.

A lot has changed at the Mandovi since Dempo last led nationally. Dempo are back in the I-League after earning promotion in April 2024. The badge still carries weight because five league titles and a landmark AFC Cup run remain part of Indian football’s history.

Opponents know what that crest represents long before kick-off. Supporters remember the years when lifting silverware became routine. For many fans, Dempo is the Goan club that helped put Goa at the centre of Indian football.

12. Mohammedan SC -35 Major Trophies

Club Profile

British regimental teams ruled the Calcutta Football League In the early 1900s. Mohammedan SC changed that. The Black and White Brigade became the first Indian club to win the league, finishing above every British regimental side in 1934.

It was no upset. Mohammedan defended the title four more times, turning one breakthrough into an era. Those years still place the club among the most historic football teams of India.

The club became the first Indian civilian side to lift the Durand Cup in 1940. Twenty years later, it went to Dhaka. There, it won the Aga Khan Gold Cup. This was the first international tournament won by an Indian club.

These achievements happened long before the modern league era. Still, they influence every talk about the most successful football clubs in India.

The black and white shirt has passed through generations of Indian footballers. Syed Nayeemuddin, Shabbir Ali, and Mohammed Akbar all carried the club’s reputation onto the national stage.

Thousands of supporters packed the stands in Kolkata. They wouldn’t let the club fade, even during years out of the top division.

The wait finally ended in 2023-24. Mohammedan won the I-League for the first time and returned to the Indian Super League.

The promotion brought together Mohammedan, Mohun Bagan, and East Bengal in India’s top division. This reunion highlights Kolkata’s three traditional giants. Founded over 130 years ago, Mohammedan SC is one of the oldest professional football clubs in India. Each new season adds to a story that began before Indian football’s modern era.

11. Kerala Blasters- No Major Trophy

Club Profile

Some clubs count success by trophies. Kerala Blasters count it by the people who turn up every matchday. The Indian Super League trophy is still out of reach. Yet, few football clubs in India have the same bond with their supporters.

Long before kick-off, yellow shirts fill the streets around Kochi. Inside the stadium, Manjappada keeps the noise going from the first whistle to the last.

Those crowds have made the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium one of the top stadiums for Indian football. The Blasters have seen some of the highest attendance numbers in ISL history.

Three times, the Kerala Blasters reached an ISL final. Three times the trophy slipped away. The close calls have only strengthened the bond between the club and its fans.

One night still divides opinion across Indian football. In the 2022-23 ISL playoffs, Kerala Blasters left the field. This happened after Bengaluru FC’s Sunil Chhetri took a quick free-kick that was allowed.

Some criticised the decision. Others understood why emotions boiled over. Either way, nobody forgot the night.

The club has also left its mark on Indian football through its players. Sandesh Jhingan grew into one of the country’s finest defenders in yellow.

Sahal Abdul Samad developed into a regular for India, while Rahul KP and Vibin Mohanan emerged as promising talents through the club. Young players still see Kerala Blasters as a place where opportunities exist.

The trophy cabinet may not match some of the most successful football clubs in India, but the stands often tell a different story. Win or lose, the songs rarely stop.

That’s why Kerala Blasters are one of the most popular football clubs in India. In Kochi, the atmosphere often becomes the biggest attraction.

10.Punjab FC -1 Major Trophy

Club Profile

Punjab FC chose a different direction from most professional football clubs in India. While others searched for experienced names, Punjab trusted young Indian footballers.

That belief brought results. The club won the I-League in 2017-18 as Minerva Punbjab FC, lifted the title again in 2022-23 and earned promotion to the Indian Super League as Round Glass Punjab FC. The academy never sat in the background. It became the heart of the club.

That approach stood out again in the 2024-25 ISL season. Punjab fielded the youngest squad in the league, with an average age of 25 years and 216 days. No club handed more opportunities to young players.

U23 footballers played 7,522 minutes, nine academy graduates featured for the senior team and six made their first-team debuts. The club’s work earned the ISL’s Best Elite Youth Program award in 2025.

Players such as Anwar Ali, Vikram Pratap Singh, Pramveer Singh, Abhishek Singh Tekcham, and Muhammad Suhail all came through Punjab’s development system. Every season brings another youngster into the first team instead of another expensive signing.

That steady pipeline has helped Punjab create one of the top youth academies in Indian football. It has also made them one of the fastest-growing football clubs in India.

Punjab FC still follows the same idea. Back young players, give them minutes, and trust them to improve. In a league that often looks for quick success, Punjab continues to invest in next-gen prospects.

9. Chennaiyin FC- 2 Major Trophies

Club Profile

Chennaiyin FC quickly stood out when they joined the Indian Super League in 2014. A year later, the Marina Machans lifted their first ISL title. Stiven Mendoza broke FC Goa hearts with a stoppage-time winner in the 2015 final.

In 2017-18, Chennaiyin walked into the Sree Kanteerava Stadium and beat Bengaluru FC 3-2 to lift the trophy again. Two league titles in four seasons gave Chennaiyin one of the fastest starts by any professional football club in India.

Chennaiyin excelled in knockout football. Jeje Lalpekhlua scored when Chennaiyin needed him most. Anirudh Thapa kept the midfield ticking, while Thoi Singh did the work that rarely made the headlines.

Marco Materazzi and John Gregory led different squads, but both finished with silverware. Those years established the Marina Machans among the best football clubs in ISL.

The club never stopped with the first team. Its academy and reserve setup offered young footballers in Tamil Nadu a clear route to senior football.

That route has helped Chennaiyin create one of the best youth academies in Indian football.It also gives local talent a chance to compete at the highest level.

Chennaiyin has not won a third ISL title yet. Still, each team is compared to those that secured two championships in four seasons. Over ten years after their start, the Marina Machans are still one of the top teams in the Indian Super League.

8.Odisha FC-1 Major Trophy

Club Profile

In 2019, Delhi Dynamos packed up and moved to Bhubaneswar. Odisha FC began with a new badge, a new home and a city waiting to see what came next. Indian football had long looked towards Kolkata, Goa, and later Bengaluru. Soon, Kalinga Stadium became part of Indian football’s calendar.

In 2023, Odisha lifted the AIFF Super Cup, the first major trophy in club history. The Kalinga Warriors bounced back from two early losses.

They topped their group and reached the Inter-Zone Semi-Final Playoff in their first continental campaign. Kalinga Stadium welcomed Asian club football for the first time, and Bhubaneswar responded.

The academy grew alongside the first team. Young players moved through the academy into the reserve side and closer to senior football. That pathway helped Odisha create one of the best youth academies in Indian clubs.

At the same time, the first team became one of the fastest growing football clubs in India.

Six years after arriving in Odisha, the club no longer carried the image of a relocated franchise. It had a major trophy, nights in Asian competition, and a home where big matches became part of the season.

A club that arrived in 2019 now competes for honours and plays on the Asian stage. Now, Bhubaneswar has a club that its supporters can truly call their own.

7.North-East United FC -2 Major Trophies

Club Profile

Long before NorthEast United FC, the Northeast produced footballers who starred across India. Bhaichung Bhutia, Renedy Singh, Gouramangi Singh, and others proudly represented the region.

What the Northeast lacked was one club in the top flight. In 2014, the Highlanders joined the Indian Super League. For the first time, eight states stood behind one badge.

The first major trophy took time. Ten seasons passed before NorthEast United met Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the 2024 Durand Cup final. Two goals down, the Highlanders refused to fold.

Alaaeddine Ajaraie and Guillermo Fernández helped bring the team back into the game. Then, Gurmeet Singh saved two penalties. The saves brought NorthEast United its first major trophy.

The breakthrough was no one-off. NorthEast returned a year later and won again. NorthEast returned to the 2025 Durand Cup final and swept aside Diamond Harbour FC 6-1.

Six different players found the net as Juan Pedro Benali’s side became the first team in 25 years to defend the Durand Cup. Those nights placed the Highlanders among the best football clubs in ISL.

No other club represents a region quite like NorthEast United. Supporters from Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Sikkim all stand united behind the same badge.

This bond has made the Highlanders one of India’s most popular football clubs. Young footballers in the Northeast now see a club that represents their region nationally.

6. Jamshedpur FC– 1 Major Trophy

Club Profile

Jamshedpur did not have to create a football culture. Tata Football Academy had already spent decades producing some of India’s finest players. Jamshedpur FC joined the Indian Super League in 2017.

Football had deep roots in the city before that. This strong foundation helped the Men of Steel become one of India’s top professional football clubs.

The club built its name without chasing the biggest stars. Strong defending, hard running, and quick counterattacks became its trademark. Owen Coyle turned that approach into the greatest season in club history.

Jamshedpur won the 2021-22 ISL League Winners’ Shield with 43 points and a seven-match winning streak. This proved they could stand with the best football clubs in ISL.

The fight did not stop there. Khalid Jamil led the Men of Steel back to the ISL play-offs. He became the first Indian head coach to achieve this milestone for the club. The Men of Steel proved that teamwork could compete with bigger budgets.

Every season, another academy graduate knocks on the first-team door. Tata Football Academy continues to send talent into senior football, giving local boys a clear path to the first team.

That link between the academy and the club keeps Jamshedpur among the best football clubs in India. It also makes it one of the best youth academies in Indian clubs.

5. Bengaluru FC– 7 Major Trophy

Club Profile

For decades, India’s biggest clubs came from Kolkata and Goa. Bengaluru FC arrived in 2013 and wasted no time. The Blues won the I-League in their first season and lifted it again two years later. Within three seasons, Bengaluru FC had already become one of Indian football’s biggest names.

October 2016 still stands above every other chapter in the club’s history. Johor Darul Ta’zim arrived in Bengaluru as defending AFC Cup champions.

They left beaten 3-1 as Sunil Chhetri inspired the Blues into the AFC Cup Final, the first time an Indian club had reached that stage. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won the final 1-0 in Doha, but Bengaluru had already shown how far an Indian club could go in Asia.

Sunil Chhetri scored the goals. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu marshalled the defence. Rahul Bheke produced big moments. Udanta Singh stretched opponents with his pace.

They won two I-League titles, the ISL Cup, two Federation Cups, the Super Cup, and the Durand Cup. This made Bengaluru one of the most successful football clubs in India.

Home matches tell another part of the story. The West Block Blues fill the stands long before kick-off. Blue flags rise behind the goal, songs echo across the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, and the noise grows with every tackle.

That atmosphere makes the ground one of the best stadiums for Indian football. A decade of success keeps Bengaluru FC among the best football clubs in ISL and the top professional football clubs in India.

4. FC Goa– 5 Major Trophies

Club Profile

In 2020, FC Goa made history in Indian football. The Gaurs became the first Indian club to qualify for the AFC Champions League group stage after winning the ISL League Winners’ Shield. It was the culmination of years of offensive play.

Under Zico, Sergio Lobera, and the coaches who followed, FC Goa kept the same footballing ideas. Even today, FC Goa would rather lose the ball trying to play through midfield than launch it into the stands. That belief has become the club’s identity. Winning mattered, but the style mattered too.

The Gaurs won the Durand Cup in 2021. After 2019, they also took home the Kalinga Super Cup in 2025 and defended it in 2025-26. This made them the first club to win the competition three times. Another place in Asian football followed.

Brandon Fernandes, Edu Bedia, Ferran Corominas, and Noah Sadaoui all flourished in that system. The club also built one of the best youth academies in Indian clubs, giving local players a clear path into senior football.

An FC Goa match rarely becomes a battle of long balls. The goalkeeper starts moving from the back. Full-backs attack at every chance. Midfielders keep asking for the ball, and short passes pull defenders out of position.

That style keeps FC Goa as one of the best football clubs in ISL. They stay near the top of the Goa football club rankings and are a leading professional football club in India.

3. Mumbai City FC- 4 Major Trophies

Club Profile

Mumbai City FC spent their first few ISL seasons chasing marquee names. Diego Forlán and Nicolas Anelka arrived, but silverware stayed out of reach. City Football Group arrived in 2019. Mumbai City has looked like a different club ever since.

Recruitment became smarter, the squad settled, and the Islanders soon joined the conversation around the best football clubs in India.

The breakthrough came in 2020-21. Mumbai City won the League Winners’ Shield and the ISL Cup, becoming the first club to complete the double in the same season.

Another League Winners’ Shield followed in 2022-23 before the Islanders lifted a second ISL Cup in 2023-24. Those seasons pushed Mumbai into every discussion about the best ISL teams and the top football clubs in the Indian Super League.

April 2022 produced another landmark. Mumbai trailed Iraq’s Air Force Club in the AFC Champions League. They fought back when Diego Maurício scored. Rahul Bheke then headed in the winning goal.

The 2-1 win made Mumbai City the first Indian club to win an AFC Champions League match.

It was one of the biggest nights for any Indian Super League team on the continental stage.

Different players defined different eras. Forlán introduced the club to a global audience. Amrinder Singh, Bipin Singh, and Lallianzuala Chhangte helped make it one of the top-ranked football clubs in India.

The Western Derby against FC Goa became one of the league’s standout fixtures. Every season now begins the same way. Mumbai City expects to challenge for the Shield, the Cup, and a place in Asia.

2. East Bengal FC – 103 Major Trophies

Club Profile

East Bengal had won almost every major trophy in Indian football. Only the ISL title was missing. After 22 years of seeing other teams win, one of India’s most successful football clubs finally won the ISL trophy.

The club lifted the trophy at last. Youssef Ezzejjari and Mohammed Rashid turned the game around, sealing a 2-1 victory.

Older supporters still spoke about Majid Baskar, Bhaichung Bhutia, and the great East Bengal teams of the past. Younger fans knew those moments only through old match footage and derby stories. On May 21, 2026, Amago fans finally saw East Bengal fight hard and win the trophy.

For East Bengal, it joined a trophy cabinet that has been growing for more than a century. Since 1920, the club has won three National Football League titles and eight Federation Cups. It has also won 16 Durand Cups and a record 29 IFA Shield trophies.

The club has won three Super Cups and the 2003 ASEAN Club Championship. This was the first major international title won by an Indian club.

The story began long before independence. In 1942, the Red and Gold Brigade beat the British Royal Air Force in the Calcutta Football League. That fighting spirit has stayed with the club ever since. It carried East Bengal from the Calcutta Football League to the top of the ISL in 2026.

The 2025-26 ISL title gave younger supporters a moment they had waited years to witness. Older fans finally saw East Bengal return to the summit of Indian football. That journey keeps the Red and Gold Brigade as one of India’s highest-rated football teams. Each new title adds to a legacy that has spanned over a century.

1. Mohun Bagan Super Giant- 117 Major Trophies

Club Profile

On 29 July 1911, one of the oldest football clubs in India, Mohun Bagan, gave Indian football one of its defining days. Their victory challenged the belief that Indian teams could not match British sides.

An all-Indian team, playing barefoot, achieved a 2-1 victory over the East Yorkshire Regiment in the IFA Shield final. They became the first Indian club to secure this prestigious trophy. That squad became known as the Immortal XI. Their victory turned Mohun Bagan into a historic football team of India.

Since then, the Mariners have never looked back in their pursuit of trophies. The club’s trophy cabinet includes National Football League and I-League championships.

It also holds Federation Cups, Durand Cups, and a record 21 IFA Shield trophies. In 2024-25, the club won the ISL League Winners’ Shield and the ISL Cup double. Then, in 2025, they triumphed over East Bengal in the final to win the IFA Shield for the first time in 22 years.

Every era found its leader, from Shibdas Bhaduri and Sailen Manna to Chuni Goswami, Jose Barreto, and today’s captain, Subhasish Bose. Each left a mark on the club’s history.

The Mohun Bagan SG vs East Bengal derby still brings Kolkata to a standstill. Fans celebrate the Mariners’ impressive 9-0 scoring record against East Bengal in their ISL matches up to the 2025-26 season.

On Derby Day, Yuva Bharati Krirangan shows why it is one of the best stadiums for Indian football. That mix of history, legends, trophies, and loyal support shows why Mohun Bagan is the best.

That’s why it’s the best football club in India. More than a century later, every Mohun Bagan team still carries the legacy of the Immortal XI.

Most Asked Questions

Last Words

Football clubs in India have been making significant investments in projects aimed to foster young talent and raise the sport’s general standard in the nation. However, it has struggled to gain widespread popularity in the country, where cricket dominates the sports scene. 

Despite this, there are several football clubs in India, both at the professional and amateur levels. Football in India may witness a surge in popularity and success due to the worldwide expansion of the sport.

These are our best 15 football clubs in India, but there are many more great clubs in India that you can support.

I admire your reading perseverance. In the future, I’ll try to go into more detail about this and give you something new. If you enjoy reading it, be sure to follow Sports Dribble on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Krishanu

Krishanu Das is the founder and lead writer of Sports Dribble. With more than five years of experience in sports writing, he specializes in creating well-researched guides, sports rules, player rankings, tournament explainers, and match analysis across cricket, football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, and many other sports.

Although he works as an accountant by profession, sports have always been his lifelong interest. That passion inspired him to build Sports Dribble, where he focuses on publishing accurate, easy-to-understand, and regularly updated content for sports fans around the world.

Before every article is published, Krishanu researches official rulebooks, governing bodies, tournament regulations, trusted statistics, and reliable sources to ensure readers receive factual and up-to-date information. His goal is simple: help every reader understand the game with clear explanations, practical insights, and information they can trust.

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