The future of Indian Super League (ISL) hangs in balance – and 11 of its clubs now want an event. They wrote to President All India Football Federation (AIFF) Kalyan Chaubey and urged him to stand directly to the Supreme Court. If the federation does not enter, clubs say they are ready to go alone.
Problems began when Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), league organizer, pressed a break in the 2025-26 season. Reason? The Main Rights agreement (MRA) between FSDL and AIFF – signed in 2010 – will be expired in December 2025. With this command on the spot are the league and related competitions stuck in the limbo.
The clubs said in their joint letter to Chaubey: “We are asking AFF, as his statutory football regulator in India and the main part of the proceedings, to urgently draw attention to the attention of the Supreme Court Hon’ble in India.”
The letter marked a growing impact – stopped planning, frozen contracts and livelihood under threat. Chennaiyin FC has already stopped the operation of the first team, while Bengaluru FC and Odisha FC suspended payments for players and employees.
Warning of wider consequences, the clubs noted: “This legal uncertainty and administrative vacuum now threatens to cause irreversible damage to the Indian football ecosystem.” They are willing to support AIFF in court, but insist that they will move separately if necessary.
Since the ISL season is approaching rapidly in April in September, the clock is ticking whether the highest level of Indian football will start in time or facing its busiest campaign.
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Published:
Debodinna Chakracorty
Published on:
August 9, 2025
