Real Kashmir Football Club is an Indian sports drama television series starring Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Manav Kaul in lead roles and is inspired by the real-life story of Real Kashmir FC, the first professional football club from Jammu and Kashmir.[1][2] The series is directed by Mahesh Mathai and Rajesh Mapuskar[3] and produced by Jaya Entertainment, Oshun Entertainment, Kapital Entertainment, and SK Global Entertainment.[4][5]
Inspired by a true story, follows two dreamers and twenty underdog players as they chase the possibility of creating a professional football team in Kashmir. What begins as a distant ambition tested by setbacks, small triumphs, and personal sacrifice slowly becomes a source of hope for them and for those who follow their rise. The show traces how one idea grows far beyond the team that started it.[6]
The series was announced as part of SonyLIV's 2025 slate of original programming.[7] According to early reports, the show was developed to capture the inspirational real-life journey of Real Kashmir FC, formed amid challenging circumstances in the region.[6]
SonyLIV described the show as "a story of rookies, of strangers, of turmoil — but above all, a story of love: for the game, for Kashmir, for possibility."[1]
Release
The series will be streaming on SonyLIV starting December 9, 2025.[8][9]
Reception
In its review, Sana Farzeen of India Today described the series as a grounded and realistic portrayal of youth aspirations in Kashmir, noting that the series avoids exaggerated dramatization and focuses instead on the social and emotional challenges faced by the characters. The review praised the performances of Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Manav Kaul, while also mentioning that the narrative occasionally follows familiar sports-drama patterns.[10] Shubhra Gupta of Indian Express gave 3 out of 5 stars and quoted "Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Manav Kaul series scores on heart"[11] Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India described the series as "The Sport of Good Storytelling"[12] Nida Mehraj of Deccan Chronicle gave 3 out of 5 stars and reviewed the series as "Real Kashmir FC Delivers Grit and Heart, Despite Its Rough Edges"[13] Shreyas Pande of The Hindu reviewed the series and described it as "A breezy soccer tale undermined by wayward writing"[14] Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in reviewed the series as "Feel-good sports drama scores a goal for empathy"[15] Sriva A of moneycontrol described the series as "Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub and Manav Kaul score big and shine in inspiring Kashmir football story"[16] Shubhangi Shah of TheWeek reviewed the series and quoted "Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub shines in SonyLIV's gentle underdog saga"[17]
Episodes
The series consists of eight episodes streaming on SonyLIV.[18]
No.
Title
Release date
Runtime
Summary
1
Kickoff
08 December 2025
52 minutes
Disillusioned with journalism, Sohail decides to change Kashmir for the better by starting a professional football club. He tries to convince his childhood friend Mustafa to coach RKFC and approaches businessman Shirish for funding, who knows nothing about football.
2
Pressing
08 December 2025
38 minutes
With financier Shirish and coach Mustafa on board and the squad selected, Sohail must complete formalities to ensure RKFC meets league compliance requirements.
3
In Possession
08 December 2025
35 minutes
To qualify for a league tournament, RKFC must recruit local star Shah. The task is difficult because Shah has a confrontational past with Mustafa.
4
Transition To Defence
08 December 2025
39 minutes
Shah joins the club and the team travels to Delhi for the qualifying tournament, where events on and off the field begin to go wrong.
5
Own-Goal
08 December 2025
32 minutes
After the Delhi setback, tensions rise and some players consider leaving. Sohail must keep Mustafa, re-sign Shah, and manage Shirish, who now wants a greater role in club management.
6
Regroup
08 December 2025
39 minutes
Sohail agrees with Shirish to bring in an international coach to improve RKFC's chances, but informing Mustafa of this decision causes a serious disagreement.
7
Counterattack
08 December 2025
45 minutes
International coach Douglas arrives and sees the challenges of building a club in Srinagar. Sohail and Shirish slowly move the club closer to league qualification.
8
Goal!
08 December 2025
40 minutes
Players learn that their qualification match would be against a security forces team at the local cantonment, sparking debate over whether to play.
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