The Supreme Court on Friday directed the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) to resolve their dispute over the renewal of the master rights agreement (MRA), which has cast uncertainty over the future of the Indian Super League (ISL).
A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi, while hearing the matter, asked both sides to engage in discussions and present a solution by August 28, the next date of hearing. The intervention comes amid growing concerns that the deadlock could jeopardise the existence of ISL clubs and paralyse Indian football.
On August 18, the apex court agreed to hear the plea after amicus curiae and senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan flagged the crisis, noting that FSDL is contractually bound to conduct the ISL during the subsistence of the agreement.
In a joint letter to AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey last week, 11 ISL clubs — including Bengaluru FC, Hyderabad FC, Odisha FC, Chennaiyin FC, Jamshedpur FC, FC Goa, Kerala Blasters FC, Punjab FC, NorthEast United FC, Mumbai City FC, and Mohammedan Sporting — warned that they face the “real possibility of shutting down entirely” if the issue remains unresolved.
The clubs said that over the past decade they had invested in youth development systems, infrastructure, and community outreach, but “this progress is now in imminent danger of collapse.” They added that with operations suspended and league continuity uncertain, financial stress has forced some clubs to pause first-team activities or suspend salaries of players and staff.
Notably, Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal did not sign the letter.
The clubs cautioned that the impasse threatens India’s footballing ambitions at the international level. Without a functioning league, players will fall short of the minimum competitive matches required for participation in Asian competitions, potentially leading to suspension of Indian clubs from the AFC tournaments.
They further warned that the national team could be “severely disadvantaged” in upcoming AFC and FIFA fixtures, as the absence of a professional league undermines player readiness and match fitness.
The crisis began when FSDL, AIFF’s commercial partner and ISL organiser, announced on July 11 that the 2025-26 ISL season was being put “on hold” due to uncertainty over the renewal of the MRA. The delay has left clubs and players in limbo.
The MRA, which governs the organisation of the ISL, has been central to Indian football’s professional structure since the league’s inception in 2014. Its non-renewal has led to escalating tensions between AIFF and FSDL.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of broader governance reforms within Indian football. On April 30, the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on finalising the AIFF’s draft constitution prepared by former apex court judge L. Nageswara Rao.
The draft constitution recommends sweeping changes, including limiting office-bearers to a maximum of 12 years in their lifetime, enforcing a four-year cooling-off period after eight years in office, and disqualifying members aged above 70 from holding positions.
