FIFPRO asks FPAI to get involved for a solution to end the ongoing impasse of the ISL players’ contractual deadlock
World Players Union, FIFPRO’s Asian division, has suggested inclusion of the Football Players Association of India (FPAI) in conflict-mitigating dialogues aimed towards swift resolution of the ongoing standstill in the India Super League due to contractual deadlock. A week after pointing out to FIFA about the unfair manner where ISL clubs suspended valid contracts of players and staff, FIFPRO Asia/Oceania have urged for a collaboration between the FPAI, the All India Football Federation (AIFF), its marketing partners Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and club owners for a collaborative effort to get the 2025-26 season up and running. Affiliated to FIFPRO, the FPAI is an association that looks after the welfare of Indian footballers, but it is yet to receive formal recognition from the AIFF. But the Kolkata-based entity, formed in 2006, has often been involved in the resolution of conflicts related to players, particularly in the matter of contracts. “The lack of clarity for players over the 2025/26 Indian Super League (ISL) season, arising from a dispute over the league’s organisation and governance that has led to its indefinite suspension, is having a significant impact on their livelihoods, careers, and wellbeing,” Julius Ross, FIFPRO Asia/Ocenia’s media advisor, said in a statement. “Players have been subjected to unilateral and unlawful suspensions of their employment contracts until further notice. These actions represent a direct breach of the players’ labour rights and are causing significant distress.” On 12th August, FIFPRO raised its concerns to FIFA after a “significant number of players” had approached them and its members to report unilateral suspensions of their employment contracts until further notice by several ISL clubs. Speaking on the same vein, FIFPRO Asia/Oceania has called for a swift resolution to the “escalating uncertainty” in Indian football, adding that they are in constant contact with players across the ISL. “FIFPRO Asia/Oceania urges the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), and club owners to work collaboratively with the FPAI to: Confirm the ISL season schedule and establish a clear road map for the season to commence; and ensure clubs continue to meet all contractual obligations to players.” On Friday, the Supreme Court is expected to hear pleas from all stakeholders over the contractual deadlock after Gopal Sankarnarayanan raised the non-payment of salaries to players. The AIFF and FSDL are yet to engage with the FPAI in any communication.
AIFF takes U-turn on keeping ISL clubs’ promise; says Supreme Court move guided by legal advice
Facing criticism for its sudden U-turn, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) issued a defense of its handling of the Indian Super League (ISL) crisis on Monday. The governing body stated that its actions were based on legal advice, which suggested that the Supreme Court be addressed first on the National Sports Governance Bill before shifting attention to the ISL dispute. Earlier, the AIFF declared it would press the ISL matter before the Supreme Court at 10:30 am on Monday. By evening, that assurance was retracted, leaving stakeholders baffled. Clarity only returned when Amicus Curiae Gopal Sankaranarayanan, supported by Samar Bansal, confirmed the ISL issue would indeed reach the court’s attention. “Based on advice received that the National Sports Governance Bill 2025 had passed both the houses of Parliament, the AIFF’s Senior Counsel advised during a briefing meeting on Sunday late evening that this is the first aspect that needs to be brought to the attention of the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” the federation said in its statement. That clarification was followed by another—AIFF claimed it was still weighing when to officially raise the ISL matter, but the Amicus Curiae had already moved ahead. By Monday, the case was mentioned before the bench. In its statement, AIFF stressed the broader stakes of the dispute. “The AIFF intends to use this opportunity to represent to the Hon’ble Supreme Court the urgent need for commercial continuity and to determine the future structure of its top-tier league, in the interests of players, clubs and other parties, all of whose livelihoods are at stake due to the current impasse,” it read. At the root of the chaos is the non-renewal of the Master’s Rights Agreement (MRA) between ISL organizers, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), and the federation. With the 2025-26 ISL season “put on hold” since July 11, there’s no calendar, no fixtures, and no guarantee of when—or if—the season kicks off. The standoff has already hit home. Eleven clubs have jointly warned that without clarity, they “face the real possibility of shutting down entirely.” Some have halted first-team operations, others have frozen salaries, and hundreds of Indian and foreign players are staring at uncertain futures.
