AIFF Considers ISL Clubs’ Consortium Proposal as League Crisis Deepens

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has signalled openness to allowing Indian Super League (ISL) clubs to form a consortium to operate the league this season, as the ongoing impasse in Indian football shows no sign of resolution. With neither the federation nor the Sports Ministry providing a timely solution, the ISL remains suspended, leaving the nation without top-tier men’s football for the first time since 1996.

The crisis began after the AIFF failed to reach an agreement on a new Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which had managed the league for a decade. The previous MRA expired on December 8, and a Request for Proposal issued by the AIFF to identify a new commercial partner attracted no bidders. The fallout has already been severe, with several clubs — including reigning ISL champion Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Bengaluru FC and Odisha FC — suspending first-team operations.

As uncertainty grew, clubs sought intervention from the Supreme Court and the Sports Ministry, but no breakthrough emerged. In this vacuum, ISL clubs convened on Wednesday to revisit a proposal first outlined in a collective letter to the AIFF on December 5. Except for East Bengal, all clubs supported the idea of forming a consortium that would take majority ownership and operational control of the league.

In their letter, the clubs stated, “… should the revised tender not result in a suitable commercial partner, we respectfully request that the AIFF consider a framework under which the ISL Clubs may collectively form a consortium to own/operate the league (as majority owners), alongside the Federation and aligned commercial/broadcast/private investors. Such an approach is consistent with global best practices and reflective of the long-term commitment of the Clubs to Indian football.”

This model was initially proposed by Vinay Chopra, CEO of Mohun Bagan Super Giant, and has since gained support from at least nine clubs. The AIFF has now acknowledged that it is willing to examine the idea further. In a letter to club CEOs on Wednesday, Deputy Secretary General M. Satyanarayan wrote, “… we need to discuss the matter and seek approval in the AIFF EXCO and the AIFF AGM scheduled on December 20, 2025.”

Reflecting on the delays, he added, “We recall that when we met on November 12 and 18, 2025, we also discussed the possibility of organising this league jointly… as we sit here on December 10, 2025, nothing has changed.” Satyanarayan proposed arranging a virtual meeting soon to work toward a mutually acceptable solution.

If the consortium plan is formally tabled at the upcoming AGM, a vote could finally break the deadlock. However, any agreement reached would apply only to the 2025–26 season, leaving long-term governance still unresolved.