The Supreme Court, at its scheduled hearing on Friday morning, has directed the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to finalize and adopt the ‘draft constitution’, convening a general body meeting within four weeks.
The court ruled out the need for immediate fresh elections, allowing the current executive committee to complete its term until the polls scheduled for 2026.
The court also emphasized that the Indian Super League (ISL) should be continued, but through a transparent process of the selection of a commercial partner for the league to make the ultimate solution about the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) for the ISL.
This ruling aims to resolve the longstanding governance issues within the AIFF and avert a potential suspension by FIFA, which had set an October 30 deadline for the ratification of the new constitution. The suspension would have a crucial impact on the Indian national team’s participation in the forthcoming international tournaments.
The Supreme Court’s judgment also reflects its effort to align the AIFF’s governance with the new National Sports Development Code 2011 and the recently enacted National Sports Governance Act 2025.
