Indian football’s ongoing crisis deepened on Thursday, with the Indian Super League (ISL) clubs issuing a sharply worded response to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), accusing the governing body of evading responsibility while the sport faces a complete shutdown.
The reply, sent a day after the federation’s latest communication, said the AIFF’s letter failed to address the core financial and structural concerns highlighted by the clubs earlier this month. The clubs noted that the situation has now become “commercially impossible” to sustain, as the expiry of the league’s commercial agreement has cut off all revenue while operational expenses continue to mount.
In their statement, the clubs stressed that their concerns are supported by independent assessments submitted to the Supreme Court, and warned that the federation’s reluctance to confront the issues is pushing the ecosystem towards collapse. They said that while the AIFF continues to cite constitutional hurdles, it has offered no roadmap to resolve those very limitations.
The clubs also pointed out that the Union Government is directly engaged in efforts to resolve the impasse, and reaffirmed their confidence in the Sports Ministry’s attempt to find a long-term solution.
A major portion of the letter urged the federation to take urgent structural steps instead of temporary measures. The clubs underlined two specific proposals for immediate consideration:
- “That the AIFF should either expressly support the removal of commercially restrictive clauses in the Constitution, or itself undertake these amendments at the forthcoming AGM on December 20, 2025. Thereafter, the federation, along with the support of the Government and the Clubs, should move transparently to identify an appropriate commercial partner.”
- “Alternatively, if this process fails, the AIFF after removing the constitutional impediments may transfer the league’s long-term rights to the Clubs, who are ready, in line with global models, to operate, commercialise, and expand the league by bringing in sponsors, broadcasters, and investors.”
The clubs — only East Bengal aren’t party to it — also signalled fatigue with unproductive meetings, saying they would only attend discussions that have a “clear agenda” and are designed to produce decisions rather than repeat previously stated limitations.
Warning that the consequences of inaction will directly affect players, staff, academies and fans, the clubs stated that time is “rapidly running out” and urged the federation to provide clear direction and a viable long-term framework without delay.
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