The high-stakes meeting convened by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports today to resolve the commercial crisis gripping the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Indian Super League (ISL) concluded without any immediate breakthrough. While the government reassured stakeholders that the football season would commence soon, the lack of a clear roadmap means the path forward remains uncertain.
The day-long consultation in Delhi brought together ISL franchises, I-League clubs, broadcasters, and prospective commercial partners. The gathering was necessitated after the failed bidding process for the ISL’s commercial rights, which jeopardised the 2025-26 season.
Initial reports suggest that the stakeholders presented highly divergent positions, preventing any quick fix. A section of the ISL clubs reportedly proposed that they should be allowed to run the top league independently. However, the management of East Bengal adopted a contrasting stance, suggesting to the ministry that the AIFF should be the body to manage the ISL.
I-League representatives put forward a proposal for a major structural overhaul: merging the ISL and I-League into a single, unified national league operating under one commercial partner.
Though all parties articulated their stance, sources confirmed that the meeting did not result in an immediate, unified solution.
The meeting schedule saw various stakeholders — including AIFF officials and broadcasters — meet other ministry officials in the morning. The final joint session was chaired by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who reportedly expressed deep concern over the current state of Indian football.
According to sources, the minister passionately questioned why a country of India’s size was unable to successfully organise its premier league and sought input on the root causes — ranging from the Supreme Court issues to the lack of sponsors.
In a key takeaway, Mandaviya provided a firm assurance to the clubs, stating that the football season would commence soon. He instructed clubs to begin their preparations, declaring, “football must happen in a country this large.”
However, the ministry refrained from detailing the specific mechanism or roadmap for the league’s commencement. It is understood that these detailed solutions and future plans will be submitted directly to the Supreme Court at its next hearing. Despite the absence of a detailed plan, club representatives present were said to be reasonably reassured by the minister’s commitment to restarting the football calendar.
The Indian football fraternity must now wait for the ministry to translate its assurances into a concrete, court-approved plan that resolves the complex commercial and structural issues currently plaguing the sport.
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