Twelve Indian Super League (ISL) clubs wrote to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday, claiming that the federation will earn a surplus of over Rs 3.4 crore from the ongoing season, despite the sports ministry’s assurance that it will “not make a single rupee” from the league this year.
In a strongly worded five-page letter sent to the AIFF’s deputy general secretary, the clubs wrote that the federation retains 40 percent of the central revenue, even though the participating teams bear the “entire” operational exposure and most of the league’s economic risk.
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“The attached financial model records: AIFF contributions: 0; AIFF share of operations: 0; All operational funding borne by the clubs,” the letter said, referring to the revised financial model circulated for the 2025-26 season.
The letter, signed by 12 of the 14 participating ISL clubs, said the league is expected to generate Rs 8.62 crore from streaming partner FanCode, of which the AIFF would retain 40 per cent, amounting to “approximately Rs 3.448 crore”.
“Despite this extraordinary context, the federation has the potential to earn a surplus in excess of Rs 3.4 crore – even after publicly declaring before the Honorable Sports Minister that it will not earn a rupee from the league this year,” the letter said.
“It is unacceptable that in a transitional season similar to force majeure, which cannot be attributed to any fault of the clubs, the federation is reaping a profit while the clubs are absorbing an unprecedented financial burden,” he added.
“If the AIFF views the ISL as a purely AIFF league, then the AIFF must bear the corresponding financial burden. If the AIFF views it as a partnership, then the partnership must exist in both economics and decision-making,” the clubs wrote.
The clubs also said they would remit the first installment of Rs 30 crore ordered by the federation “within a specified period to ensure the continuity of Indian football in full awareness of the difficult financial situation of the AIFF”.
They clarified that the payment would be made “strictly without prejudice” to their rights and should not be interpreted as consent to unilateral administration of the federation.
The signatories included three heavyweights from Kolkata – defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant, East Bengal FC and Mohammedan Sporting – along with Kerala Blasters FC, Bengaluru FC, Mumbai City FC, FC Goa, Odisha FC, Punjab FC, Chennaiyin FC, Mohammedan SC and Inter Kashi, while also arguing that the unification had objections.
They further claimed that the publication of the lengthy Qualification Request document, which is intended to determine the league’s future business structure, was done without prior consultation with the clubs.
“No club was notified in advance of its publication, sent a draft for review or formally provided a copy of the final RFQ,” the letter said, adding that the clubs learned of the development through the AIFF website.
The clubs argued that decisions on the league’s long-term commercial framework, including revenue distribution, governance architecture and the allocation of commercial rights, could not be made without the involvement of the teams that fund the competition.
They further expressed concerns about the prospect of relegation in what they described as a very erratic season.
According to the clubs, the truncated competition has been affected by uneven home-away fixtures, operational uncertainty, financial asymmetry and player attrition, making it unsuitable to push for relegation.
“Relegation under such distorted conditions would not be a sporting result – it would be structural elimination,” the letter reads, urging the federation to recognize the campaign as a transitional season or suspend relegation for this cycle.
Clubs have also protested the enforcement provisions of the AIFF notice, which include daily fines of Rs 1 lakh and the possibility of disqualification, describing the language as “coercive and inconsistent with the collaborative partnership model”.
The abbreviated ISL finally kicked off on 14 February after months of uncertainty following delays linked to commercial and administrative matters.
The league, which usually starts in September, faced speculation as to whether it would even take place before the shortened edition was finally settled.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
06 March 2026 22:32 IST
