Supreme Court conveys the Union government’s promise to support the AIFF for the ISL
The Union government has finally come forward, extending cooperation to the All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) by taking responsibility to solve the ongoing stalemate in the Indian Super League (ISL). Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the apex court on Friday that the government has taken stock of the crisis that the AIFF faces after a failed tender process for monetization of the country’s premier league. He assured a special bench of Justices PS Narasimha and J Bagchi that the government is committed to providing relief to the players and clubs and would find a way for the tournament to be held. Mehta said that the concerned minister is “fully aware” of the situation and has clarified that the “ISL must be held. How it is to be held, what sponsors, who will finance, etc, can be left to the government. The government would intervene to ensure that the ISL is held and our players are not put to any disadvantage,” he said during the hearing. “We will ensure that players are not put at any disadvantage due to a lack of sponsors or a lack of club owners. The government’s role, though, shouldn’t be too overbearing to give the impression of interference, the bench pointed out. “We don’t want to put the impression that the government is again interfering. It is only to tide over the situation,” the justices said. “Absolutely, otherwise, we have no role,” Mehta agreed, adding the government will bear in mind that “anything being done should be in conformity with FIFA regulation so that we may not fall foul of that”. Twelve ISL clubs had appealed to the Supreme Court for a speedy resolution, while Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had met representatives of I-League clubs on 13th November in New Delhi and was apprised of concerns over the football season. Amicus Curiae Gopal Sankaranarayanan advised the Centre to engage with clubs while also recommending a dialogue with the four potential bidders, who had attended pre-bid meetings. The Court agreed on Mehta’s request for time to come up with a solution and said it would again hear the matter after two weeks, keeping in mind AIFF’s current 15-year commercial partnership with Reliance-subsidiary FSDL ends on 8th December. The AIFF, having pledged to submit an affidavit to the Court, has called for a special general meeting to vote on the disputed co-existing membership on 24th November.
The implementation of the ‘representation clause’ will detach AIFF from the initiatives for grass-roots development, says IFA secretary
Sudeep Pakrashi: The All India Football Federation’s state units have refused to accept the contentious ‘representation clause’ that was up for adoption under the Supreme Court’s directive. Indian Football Association (IFA) is one of the state associations that has already sent a reply to the AIFF letter, mentioning that the implementation of Article 25.3 (d) will detach the All India Football Federation (AIFF) from its initiatives for the development of grassroots football across the country. IFA secretary Anirban Dutta, when asked about the issue, said, “If the new rule is implemented for the post of office-bearers, then I have no objection. I agree that an office-bearer cannot hold chairs in both the state association and simultaneously in the AIFF. But, if the law is applied to the post of the executive committee, then I have an objection, and we have sent a reply explaining the disadvantages.” Dutta explained, “You have to understand the most important aspect that the executive committee does not execute policies. The members work as advisors, and they are the representatives of their respective state associations who are involved in everyday affairs in football in their states. They gain the knowledge of what to do for the development and how to do it. They have the knowledge about how football, especially the youth development programs, are going on in their respective states, and the need to develop them further. So, in an executive committee meeting, those state association representatives get the opportunity to share their activities, and the requirements for the progress of the game.” He continued, “Now, if you remove the state association representatives from AIFF’s executive committee, then AIFF will be completely detached from the mainstream football, especially from the development programs of the game.” Article 25.3 (d) states: “In the event that a person is elected as an Office-Bearer in a Member Association and holds a position of an Office-Bearer in the Executive Committee of the AIFF, he/she shall automatically be deemed to have vacated his/her position in the Member Association.” However, when asked whether IFA has plans to seek any help for the development of football in Bengal from legendary Lothar Matthaus, the ambassador of the forthcoming Bengal Super League (BSL), Dutta revealed, “We did not have time for any such discussion on Sunday regarding the matter. But I was highly impressed by his one key advice, ‘training the trainers’ for the ultimate progress of the game. I feel Indian football does not have adequate quality coaches’ educators. So, I have a desire to discuss about the coaches’ training programs with Matthaus when he comes to Kolkata in December, likely.”
AIFF draws anger for confusing Executive committee members with a notice in the morning and a call for a Zoom meeting in the evening on the same day!
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.”
Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, add the list of footballers, appeal for the resumption of the ISL
Country’s several leading footballers, like Shouvik Chakrabarty and Sandesh Jinghan, and even foreigners like Adrian Luna, expressing their frustration, have urged the country’s football ruling body to do the best that can resume ISL. Now, two more leading footballers of the country Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu have added the list. Both the footballers, frustrated by the ongoing stalemate in Indian football, have posted an impassioned plea on social media urging “those involved in running our sport in the country, to do whatever it takes to get the football season underway”. The ISL typically begins in September. But right now, there is no clarity on when it will begin, with the league already having missed two months of its regular calendar. This has led to some teams suspending operations. Many top footballers have been without competitive football for months. There are reports that even training schedules and salary payments have been disrupted. “We, professional footballers who play in the Indian Super League, are coming together to make a plea and, more importantly, to send the message that we stand united in our efforts to get the Indian Super League season underway. To put it simply, we want to play and now,” footballers like Chhetri and Sandhu wrote in a joint statement they posted on their social media handles. Our anger, frustration and distress has now been replaced by desperation. Desperation to play the game we love, in front of people who mean everything to us, our families, our fans. This is a plea to all those involved in running our sport in the country, to do whatever it takes to get the football season underway. India needs its competitive football now more than ever,” the statement read. Sharing the statement on his Instagram handle, Cheetri wrote: “We are all standing shoulder to shoulder, willing to do whatever it takes to resurrect the sport we love.” Sandhu’s message read, “We find ourselves in the midst of our hardest challenge yet. And yet, all we can do at this point is plead.”
AIFF in crisis as ISL draws zero bidders!
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) finds itself in a soup after failing to receive any bid for its top-flight Indian Super League. Till the deadline of 5pm IST on Friday, there was no bid on the table, leading to further uncertainty in Indian football. For a league that was once positioned as the face of Indian football’s growth, the absence of even one proposal signals deeper trouble than the AIFF may have anticipated. The AIFF, which issued an official request for proposal on 16th October, had plans to find a new partner for the next 15 years to run the ISL’s broadcast, sponsorship, digital, and merchandising rights. The AIFF tried to build confidence around the process — KPMG as advisors, Justice L. Nageswara Rao keeping an eye on fairness, and a clean slate for bidders to step into. However, four entities attended a pre-bid meeting on October 15 to seek clarity on various terms and conditions, including an asking price of a minimum of Rs 37.5 crore. Bids were sought after the AIFF replied to 234 queries on 29th October, extending the initial deadline by two days from 5th November at the request of two parties according to News 9 Sports. The AIFF’s existing partnership with Reliance-subsidiary Football Sports Development Ltd. ends in December, and bids were sought after an agreement in which it lifted a ‘right to match’ clause that existed in the earlier deal signed in December 2010 that guaranteed them rights to all competitions in exchange for an annual average sum of Rs 50 crores. An AIFF official revealed to News 9 Sports on condition of anonymity that no bid has been placed. Even FSDL didn’t place a bid. Hours before the bid-submitting deadline, former Andhra Pradesh Football Association president Gopalakrishna Kosaraju filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking exclusion of Chaubey from the bid evaluation committee and appointment of an independent member in the interest of “fairness, transparency, & institutional integrity”. “This is a clear failure of President Chaubey, and a no-confidence motion should be brought against him now,” he said.
Supreme Court clarification against AIFF appeal for review: Article 23.3 not be adopted now
The Supreme Court has issued a significant clarification on the long-debated AIFF Constitution, clearing confusion over article 23.3 and articles 25.3(c) and 25.3(d). The latest order says Article 23.3 does not need to be adopted. Articles 25.3(c) and 25.3(d) will be formally adopted. However, these will take effect only after the elections next year, once the current executive committee’s term ends in 2026. This clarification comes shortly after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) formally adopted its new constitution on 12th October, during a special general body meeting held in New Delhi. The adoption marked the end of a long and complicated legal journey that had delayed structural reforms in Indian football for years. Article 23.3 had sparked major concerns within the federation and from FIFA, as it required AIFF to seek the Supreme Court’s approval for any constitutional amendments. The Supreme Court acknowledged this concern and made it clear that continuous judicial supervision of a sports body is not appropriate. The bench, led by Justices P.S. Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi, noted that the AIFF will instead be governed by the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, and any subordinate regulations that may be formed under it. The court also addressed the debate around Articles 25.3(c) and 25.3(d), which bar AIFF officials from holding simultaneous positions in state associations. While the provisions were found to be consistent with both Indian law and FIFA regulations, enforcing them immediately would have forced several current office-holders. According to Article 25.3 (c and d), an office bearer in AIFF’s executive committee can’t hold a position as an office bearer in a member association, which was viewed as adverse to the FIFA charter. The two-member SC bench observed that “they are not in conflict with any laws, regulations, or even FIFA Charter. The apprehensions about the unavailability of experienced personnel to man AIFF and other member associations if these Articles are incorporated are speculative. “No credible data is placed before us to sustain such apprehension. We are, therefore, of the opinion that these Articles shall be retained. “We may also clarify that the said Articles, like many others, would be subject to the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, and the subordinate legislation that may be framed thereunder.” But since the immediate consequence of the adoption of this clause would have led to “practical problem” of the majority of the federation’s office bearers, needing to resign from their posts, the Court said that Articles 25.3(c) and (d) need not be applied to the present office bearers as their term is expiring in September 2026. The AIFF has given an undertaking promising to formally adopt Articles 25.3 (c and d), “but it may be given effect to after the term of the present executive expires in September 2026”. “In our judgment, we permitted the present executive to continue till the end of its term in order to ensure that there is minimal disruption to the already delayed sporting events,” the Court said. “In the same line, and to subserve the same purpose, we direct AIFF to adopt Articles 25.3(c) and (d) within three weeks from today, as undertaken by Mr. Siddharth Luthra, Senior Counsel on behalf of AIFF. Articles 25.3(c) and 25.3(d) will, however, come into effect after the present executive demits office.”
Ten ISL clubs write urgent letter to AIFF over tender delay
The future of India’s top football league is facing confusion again. Ten Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have jointly sent a sharp warning to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), accusing it of a “breach of trust” over the delay in finalizing the tender for a new commercial partner. According to the Supreme Court’s directions, the tender to decide the league’s commercial and organizational rights was meant to be completed by 15th October this year. With that deadline already passed and no updates or documents released, the clubs seem to have lost their patience. In a letter addressed to AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey and the federation’s executive committee, the clubs expressed they were “deeply disappointed” with the lack of progress and communication. The letter was signed by Chennaiyin FC, Punjab FC, Hyderabad FC, Bengaluru FC, FC Goa, NorthEast United, Kerala Blasters, Odisha FC, Jamshedpur FC, and Mumbai City FC. Significantly, Mohun Bagan Super Giants, East Bengal, and Mohammedan Sporting were not part of the move. The clubs reminded the AIFF of its joint submission to the Supreme Court in August, where it had promised a fair and open bidding process to select a new commercial partner after the current deal with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) ends in December 2025. “It is very evident that we are yet to even begin the process, let alone complete it,” the clubs said. “The lack of communication from the AIFF has been deeply disappointing, and the silence surrounding this matter has caused further erosion of confidence among clubs and other stakeholders.” The Supreme Court had appointed former judge Justice Nageswara Rao to supervise the process, with KPMG India managing the bidding and evaluation. Yet, more than six weeks after the court’s deadline, there has been no official update, leaving clubs frustrated and uncertain.
Supreme Court rules out ‘fresh election’: Orders AIFF to make a ‘draft of new constitution’ within four weeks
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.
After ISL, tender for I-League to be floated also
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has planned to issue a commercial rights’ tender for the I-League and other national tournaments for this season. But the AIFF has not yet officially identified the champions and the two teams that have been relegated. At a virtual executive committee meeting on Thursday evening, arranged to discuss a pathway for the 2025-26 I-League, it was decided that this fresh tender will be called once the tender process for the ISL is put in motion. The I-League tender process will be launched once the deadline to submit request for quotation to manage and award ISL commercial rights ends on 14th September. “Since the contract handed I-League was only for one season, we don’t have a commercial partner in place for these tournaments now, so it was decided to float a fresh tender to attract bids for monetization,” an AIFF official said while speaking to News9 Sports. “We will have to start afresh for the I-League, so maybe after September 15 we will initiate the process once evaluation of RFQ’s for ISL is complete. Let the ISL process get over first, the I-League clubs also need time to assemble a squad,” another official said. No timeline has yet been set for bids for I-League, the 18th edition of which for 2024-25 began on November 22, 2024 and stretched till April 6, 2025. But like ISL, no such panel has been formed for the I-League yet as the same members are unlikely to be part of it, the AIFF official said.
AIFF decides to issue tender only for ISL in its executive committee meeting
The All India Football Federation will float a tender only for the Indian Super League as per the Supreme Court’s directive, it was decided at its emergent executive committee meeting held late on Saturday night. To oversee the entire tender process and rule out any foul play, a three-member oversight committee was formed, comprising Justice L. Nageswara Rao, AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, and a representative from the Asian Football Confederation. The AIFF had sold commercial rights of all its tournaments and properties, including the national teams, for a 15-year period to Reliance subsidiary FSDL in 2010 for Rs 50 crore per year. With the deal ending in December, the Court had urged both parties to prepare a joint proposal for the current season to progress. The proposal suggested commencement of the season with the Super Cup followed by a tender process for the marketing rights of the league. The entire process would be concluded by October 15 for the league to begin in December. On September 1, the Court had approved the proposal while appointing retired judge L Nageshwar Rao to oversee the tender process for maintenance of objectivity and transparency, following which the AIFF had called for an emergent meeting on Saturday. “The AIFF shall also issue necessary tenders inviting bids for open, competitive and transparent process for selection of its commercial partner to conduct Indian Super League,” the apex court had said in its order. However, in its agenda for the emergent Ex Co meeting, the AIFF had called for discussions for approval of the terms to float a request for quotation to select a professional services firm to manage the tendering process for “selection of a league operating partner”, without explicitly mentioning the ISL. When asked to clarify for which competition the tender will be put out, Chaubey made it clear at the meeting that it was only for the ISL, as per the Court’s directive. “Yes, the tender would only be for the ISL,” an AIFF official later confirmed toNews9 Sports. “For this purpose, we have requested and upon his agreement, appoint Justice L. Nageswara Rao, former Judge of this Court to ensure that the selection process enures in identifying a competent, reputed and an efficient firm as a commercial partner to conduct ISL, in line with global best practices. Justice L. Nageswara Rao may also appoint one or two professionals to assist him in this regard,” the Court had also said. In accordance with that directive, it was also decided that those seven members who were part of the committee for discussion on master rights agreement with FSDL will also be in the tender committee for selection of a league operating partner. On Friday, the AIFF had made informal queries with ISL clubs on their willingness to play in the Super Cup once the FIFA international window ends on October 14. While some clubs gave their consent, others sought greater clarity on the ISL tender and its initiation. “We need details on rights parameters and the fact that it should be realistically priced to encourage interested parties to bid for it. Also conclusion date of the process. Once we know more details on these points, we can think of participation,” a club CEO told News9 Sports. Taking that feedback into account, the AIFF has decided to formally write to clubs to seek their availability following which the decision on the tournament’s format would be finalised. The tournament “would be held from October 25 to November 22, in a phased manner”, the AIFF said in a statement on Sunday.
