A major section of the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) are reportedly angry with the Federation’s top brass after creating an utmost confusion with two emergent notices, one in the morning and the other in the evening for a zoom-meeting on the same day on Wednesday!

Executive Committee members are not only angry with such whimsical behavior from their their top-brass, they seem to be extremely frustrated for not being given sufficient time to respond. The Executive Committee members were scheduled to have a meeting as they received e-mails where the AIFF top-brass sought suggestions from them on alternative plans to organize the ISL.

A letter from AIFF’s Deputy Secretary General, M. Satyanarayan, had been circulated earlier in the day, inviting written feedback by 5 pm. But on the same evening, barely half an hour before the deadline, another email was sent, replacing the written response with a hastily scheduled Zoom meeting at 7 pm. Some members who received the message even later, expressed more displeasure.

According to report published by The Sportstar, M. Satyanarayan wrote, “As you may be aware, Hon’ble Justice L.N Rao (Retired. Supreme Court Judge) is expected to submit his report on the All India Football Federation’s Request for Qualification (RFQ), prepared by KPMG, for the selection of a commercial partner to manage and monetize AIFF’s commercial rights for a defined period. While the matter remains under consideration of the Honourable Supreme Court, it is likely that once Justice Rao’s report is submitted and the matter is mentioned by AIFF, the Court may seek clarification regarding any alternate plan that AIFF has to organize and manage the ISL in accordance with its Constitution. In this context, we seek your valuable views and suggestions.”

The AIFF had earlier floated a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a commercial partner for the ISL for 15 years, offering rights worth ₹37.4 crore annually. The new arrangement was to begin after the current agreement with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) expires in December 2025.

But after the extended deadline closed on November 7 (5 p.m.), the federation received no bids. The Bid Evaluation Committee, chaired by Justice Rao, met on Sunday and is now expected to submit its report to the Supreme Court, i

“While the matter remains under consideration of the Honourable Supreme Court, it is likely that once Justice Rao’s report is submitted and the matter is mentioned by AIFF, the Court may seek clarification regarding any alternate plan that AIFF has to organise and manage the ISL in accordance with its Constitution. In this context, we seek your valuable views and suggestions.”

The AIFF had earlier floated a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a commercial partner for the ISL for 15 years, offering rights worth ₹37.4 crore annually. The new arrangement was to begin after the current agreement with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) expires in December 2025.

But after the extended deadline closed on November 7 (5 p.m.), the federation received no bids. The Bid Evaluation Committee, chaired by Justice Rao, met on Sunday and is now expected to submit its report to the Supreme Court, incorporating inputs from the ExCo.

Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, Executive Commitee members declined to comment on the ISL’s future. However, the sudden letter, landing hardly two hours before the scheduled discussion, caused visible discontent within the federation.

The Federation is not united anymore. We don’t really know what the future of ISL and I-League will be,” an AIFF official told Sportstar on condition of anonymity. “Though there has been a lot of talk going on, there has been no clarity, no written documents. Most Executive Committee members have not been kept in the loop. I don’t want the AIFF to continue like this.”