Sunil Chhetri (ANI Photo) India’s top footballers have come together to make an emotional appeal to FIFA, asking the world governing body to intervene as the Indian Super League (ISL) remains suspended with no clear return date. The recall includes senior Indian players like Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Sandhesh Jhingan, along with several foreign players who play in the ISL. Players said the continued delay of the 2025-26 ISL season has created deep uncertainty and fear. They warned that Indian football is slowly moving towards a complete standstill if the situation is not resolved soon. “It’s January and we should be on your screens like a non-competitive football match in the Indian Super League,” Gurpreet said in a joint video shared on social media. “Instead, we are driven here by fear and desperation to say out loud something we all know,” Jhingan added. In the video, the players said that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is no longer capable of handling the crisis and safeguarding the future of football in the country. They asked FIFA to step in and help bring stability back to the game. “But more importantly, we are here to make a plea. The Indian football government is no longer able to fulfill its responsibilities. We are now staring at permanent paralysis. This is a last ditch effort to save what we can. So we are calling on FIFA to step in and do what is needed to save Indian football,” the players said. They also made it clear that their message was not political, but based on an urgent need. “We hope that this message reaches the powers that be in Zurich. This call is not political, it is not driven by confrontation, but by necessity. It may sound like a big word, but the truth is that we are facing a humanitarian, sporting and economic crisis. And of course we need a rescue as soon as possible. We just want to play football, please help us do it,” they said. Sunil Chhetri ended the appeal by highlighting the impact on everyone involved. “Players, staff, owners and fans deserve clarity, protection and more importantly, a future,” he added. The ISL season was suspended in July due to uncertainty over the renewal of the master rights agreement between the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). The deal expired in December, leading to legal issues and the involvement of the Supreme Court. The new tender for ISL commercial rights also did not attract interested parties. The season continues to be postponed and clubs are worried about finances and player contracts. Thirteen of the fourteen ISL clubs have told the AIFF they can play if there is no participation fee and the federation covers operating costs. The delay also threatens the clubs chances of qualifying for AFC Champions League 2 as they may not meet the minimum match requirement.
