Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic in West Bengal, the tournament format is shortened by adopting a league-cum-knockout format.[4] The 14 participating teams would be divided into two groups and each team would play against all the other teams in their respective groups once. The top three teams from each group would earn a direct quarter final berth. The remaining four teams from each group would play against each other once for the last two quarter final spots. The eight qualified teams would then play knockout matches to reach the final of Premier Division A.[5] From similar reasons ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have not participated.
The IFA had also increased the number of overseas players a club could register from 4 to 6, but only 2 could be named in the starting eleven.[6][7]
The teams were exempted from relegation this season as the lower divisions of CFL were cancelled due to the pandemic.[6][7]