The Indian Super League (ISL) was suspended after the league told the club and the All India football Federation that they could not continue in the 2025-26 season until it appeared on the contractual structure after the current date of the Master Rights (MRA).
The suggestions that in the upcoming season have occurred for the first time that it appeared when AIFF canceled its top tournament from its list to 2025-26. The football control body released its calendar for the coming year, but Isl was missing in it after it existed since 2014. League organizers reportedly told clubs and AIFF soon on their decision, because there was no clarity regarding the state of MRA.
Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which operates ISL, is a commercial partner of AIFF, with which the government body signed a 15 -year MRA in 2010. Within the current MRA, FSDL pays every year AIFF RS 50 CRORE. In return, the FSDL will receive the rights to broadcast, manage and commercial indian football, including the national team. The ISL season usually takes place from September to April and the agreement between FSDL and AIFF in the current period of MRA will end in December this year. By this time, the campaign would enter its third month.
The FSDL said in the letter that since there was no confirmed contractual framework after December, they were unable to effectively plan, organize or commercialize the season 2025-26. For this reason, FSDL said they were not able to continue the upcoming season and the decision was not easy.
“In the absence of a confirmed contractual framework after December, we will find ourselves to effectively plan, organize or commercialize the Isl 2025-26 season.
“Given this situation, we regret that we are informing you that we are currently unable to continue the Isl 2025-26 season and hold it up until another clarity appears on the contractual structure after the current MRA period.
“We assure you that this decision was not easy,” FSDL said in a letter addressed to all Isl clubs.
The FSDL was reportedly in favor of creating a new holding company that operates ISL, with participating clubs (60%), FSDL (26%) and AIFF (14%) as shareholders.
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Published on:
July 11, 2025
