The ongoing uncertainty surrounding Indian football has reached a breaking point, with players, coaches, and club officials from both the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League expressing grave concern over the current deadlock. Many have issued statements urging the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to act swiftly and resume domestic football activities, emphasising that their livelihoods depend on it.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey called for an emergency virtual meeting on Wednesday evening with ISL club CEOs, I-League CEOs, team captains, and senior footballers to discuss possible solutions. However, while ISL representatives attended, I-League clubs boycotted the meeting in protest.
The crisis stems from the failure of any organisation to submit a bid to become the AIFF’s new commercial partner after a global tender was issued. The revised AIFF constitution—mandated by the Supreme Court—contains several clauses that potential bidders found unfavourable, leading to a complete halt in domestic competitions, including the ISL and I-League.
To address the issue, the AIFF has tasked Justice (Retd.) L Nageswara Rao, chairman of the Bid Evaluation Committee, with presenting a detailed report to the Supreme Court. However, until the court delivers a verdict, Indian football remains in limbo.
Given the delay, Bengaluru FC, speaking on behalf of other ISL clubs during the meeting, reportedly proposed a temporary self-funding model to restart the ISL. The idea suggests that ISL clubs could collectively raise around ₹20 crore to ensure the league kicks off by early January, even without a new commercial partner. However, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, and Mohammedan SC were not part of the discussion.
Despite the proposal, Chaubey offered no positive assurance. Instead, he urged clubs to approach the Supreme Court directly, highlighting the ongoing legal and financial complexities. Chaubey reportedly told captains and senior players to continue club operations and training so that they remain ready if the ISL resumes in January.
Meanwhile, I-League clubs—except Dempo SC and Aizawl FC—boycotted the AIFF meeting altogether. In a letter to AIFF Deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan, they cited repeated failures by the federation to provide clarity on the start of the domestic season or respond to earlier concerns. The clubs met separately in Delhi on Wednesday to assess the situation and have decided to seek the intervention of the Union Sports Minister on Thursday.
Their primary demand is for the AIFF to secure a capable commercial partner who can organise both the ISL and I-League efficiently, while also ensuring proper television broadcast rights. They also plan to brief the Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, on AIFF’s current stance and the pending legal issues with the Supreme Court, while requesting government assistance to restore normalcy in Indian football.
All eyes are now on the Sports Ministry to see what action it takes to resolve the impasse. For now, the biggest question in Indian football remains unanswered — when will the ball roll again?