ISL clubs warn AIFF against limited commitment in strongly worded joint statement
Several Indian Super League clubs issued a strongly worded joint statement on Friday warning the AIFF that they may reduce their commitment to the league if uncertainty surrounding Indian football persists. The statement comes just ahead of a crucial meeting of the AIFF’s special general body, where the future business structure of the ISL is expected to dominate discussions.
Kerala Blasters, Mumbai City FC, Bengaluru FC, Inter Kashi and Sporting Club Delhi were among the clubs that shared statements on their official social media at the time of writing.
“It is with deep concern and disappointment that the Indian Super League clubs wish to state that due to the continued uncertainty surrounding professional football in India, we are now forced to review the extent of our commitment to the league beyond the current season,” the clubs said in a joint statement.
“Our clubs have consistently invested in Indian football, often in difficult and uncertain circumstances, and remain deeply committed to its future. However, the continued absence of structural clarity, commercial clarity and long-term visibility make it increasingly difficult to justify the financial and operational commitments required to compete sustainably,” the statement added.
The clubs also stressed that the future of Indian football must be built on a financially sustainable league structure and pushed for the federation to seriously consider their proposed alternative commercial model.
“At the heart of Indian football’s future must be a financially sustainable league. The clubs have proposed an alternative model which we believe is credible, constructive and worthy of evaluation on its merits, along with any other proposal before the AIFF.”
“We urge the AIFF to recognize the reality facing those who fund and run the league and work together to create a framework that is sustainable, inclusive and built with all stakeholders in mind,” the statement further read.
ISL BUSINESS BATTLE CONTINUES TO GROW
The statement comes at a critical time for Indian football with The AIFF is scheduled to hold a special general body meeting on SaturdayMay 23rd.
One of the biggest topics of the meeting is expected to be the future commercial structure of the ISL after the main rights deal between the AIFF and FSDL expires earlier this season.
The stalemate has pushed Indian football into months of uncertainty and forced the 2025-26 ISL season into a significantly shortened 13-match format after the league only started in February.
Several clubs reportedly faced operational and financial problems during the extended delay, with uncertainty over player wages, renewals and long-term planning.
The latest disagreement now revolves around the league’s next business structure.
Genius Sports reportedly emerged as the highest bidder earlier this year with a proposed deal of Rs 2,129 crore for the next 15 + 5 years. However, ISL clubs are believed to be against the current framework attached to the bid.
Instead, the clubs proposed a model where Genius Sports would act only as a data and technology partner, while the clubs themselves would retain 90 percent of the league’s economic interests.
AIFF UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE
The growing tension between the federation and the clubs comes despite AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey recently assuring that the ISL will return in a “full-fledged” format next season.
Speak after East Bengal’s dramatic ISL title May 21st Chaubey insisted that Indian football is moving forward despite the administrative chaos and controversy surrounding the season.
However, uncertainty about the future of the league still remains widespread.
Even East Bengal head coach Oscar Bruzon had earlier admitted that he might reconsider his future with the club if there is no clarity on the future structure of the ISL soon.
The AIFF is also facing a separate controversy regarding the legality of Saturday’s SGM itself, after executive committee member Valanka Alemao objected to the meeting, arguing that the federation had not properly established the main body structure required under the Supreme Court-approved AIFF constitution.
Despite the uncertainty, the meeting is expected to go ahead as Indian football continues to face growing questions about governance, commercial sustainability and the long-term future of the country’s top domestic league.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
22 May 2026 22:21 IST
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