The long-running uncertainty over the Indian Super League’s (ISL) broadcast future has finally ended. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has completed its evaluation of media rights for the 2025-26 season and finalised its broadcast and production partners ahead of the new campaign.
FanCode has been awarded the broadcasting rights after submitting the highest compliant bid of ₹8.62 crore for Package B, which covers linear television broadcast and digital streaming. The decision brings clarity for clubs, stakeholders and supporters, who have waited months for confirmation on how the league will be delivered this season.
On the production front, KPS Studio has secured the rights to produce the world feed after quoting ₹5.75 crore for Package E, the lowest valid bid for the production-only package.
With FanCode’s winning bid and the production cost to be borne separately, the net revenue from the ISL media deal is expected to be ₹2.87 crore for the 2025-26 season.
AIFF had floated the tender in January, offering bidders multiple options through a package-based structure. While Package A bundled production with broadcast and streaming, Package B separated production from distribution, allowing AIFF to evaluate the best overall value.
FanCode had emerged as the most aggressive bidder, submitting proposals across multiple categories. Its Package A bid also stood at ₹8.62 crore, broken down into ₹7 crore for production, ₹10 lakh for linear broadcast, and ₹1.52 crore for digital streaming. However, with production costs capped, the federation’s net receipt under that model would have been significantly lower.
Under the winning Package B proposal, FanCode’s ₹8.62 crore offer included ₹10 lakh for linear broadcast and ₹8.52 crore for digital streaming, making it the most viable option once production was awarded separately to KPS Studio.
FanCode, launched in 2019 by Dream Sports, has grown into one of India’s leading digital sports platforms, offering live streams, match-specific subscriptions and interactive viewing features to a large user base. The platform has steadily expanded its football portfolio in India, covering major international competitions and also streaming Indian national team matches in AFC competitions.
KPS Studios, based in Kolkata and launched in 2016, has established itself in the broadcast production space, particularly in live sports and entertainment events. Known for its remote production capabilities and live-streaming services, the company will now be responsible for delivering the ISL’s world feed for the upcoming campaign.
The tender attracted interest from several entities, with AIFF following a ‘quality and cost-based selection’ model that placed greater emphasis on technical capability alongside financial strength. Bids were evaluated through a two-stage process, with technical assessment carrying 70 per cent weightage and financial evaluation accounting for 30 per cent. Only bidders who cleared the technical threshold progressed to the commercial stage.
Not all bidders made it through to the final selection. Two Circles was disqualified after failing to submit the mandatory earnest money deposit and for not fully meeting tender conditions. Monarch, along with partner PR Solution, did not qualify for the second stage after falling short of the net-worth criteria mentioned in the RFP.
Among other bids, ABP Network submitted a proposal of ₹6.89 crore for select packages, while JioStar quoted ₹5 crore for digital-only rights. For production, Sportzworkz bid ₹9.5 crore for the world-feed package, but was edged out by KPS Studio’s lower quote.
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