Conscious Of Importance Of India Super League But We Respect Law Of The Land, Says AIFF

The All India Football Federation on Saturday said it was "conscious" of Indian Super League's importance to the football ecosystem but it also had to respect the law of the land, a day after ISL announced it had put the 2025-26 season on hold due to uncertainty surrounding the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between the event organisers and the governing body.

The current MRA between the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which organises the ISL, and the AIFF is scheduled to expire on December 8 this year, by which time the top tier competition would be into its third month.

On Friday, FSDL had said that in absence of a confirmed contractual framework beyond December, they find themselves unable to "effectively plan, organise, or commercialise the 2025-26 ISL season" and were putting the ISL season on hold.

AIFF issued a statement in response to FSDL's decision, saying it will do everything possible to ensure the continuity of the League within the framework of the law.

"The AIFF is conscious of the importance of the ISL not only to the football structure in the country, but also to all the clubs, players, support staff, officials and fans, and also recognises the challenges and difficulties posed due to its disruption. At the same time, AIFF respects the law of the land and the direction of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India," said the sport's governing body in a statement.

Following a directive from the Supreme Court, the AIFF has been asked not to negotiate new terms of the MRA with FSDL, the apex governing body's commercial partner running the ISL, until a final judgment is delivered in the AIFF draft constitution case.

AIFF said its negotiations with FSDL had started in a timely manner and proposals were also exchanged by the parties involved, but following the Apex Court's order, the discussions were in "abeyance".

"As per the Master Rights Agreement, the All India Football Federation had, in a timely manner, first initiated the process of requesting negotiations on the terms of a potential renewal with FSDL on November 21, 2024. Thereafter, senior representatives of the AIFF and FSDL convened meetings on February 5, 2025, in New Delhi and subsequently on March 5, 2025, in Mumbai, to discuss the terms of potential renewal of the Master Rights Agreement.

"Following these deliberations, a proposal was submitted by FSDL on March 5, 2025, to which, AIFF responded with a counter-proposal on April 21, 2025. Soon after, the AIFF was advised by its legal counsel that during a hearing on April 26, 2025, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India made an observation that the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement should not be done until its order."

"Consequently, based on legal advice, discussions between the AIFF and FSDL, renewal discussions have been in abeyance pending further directions from the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India."

AIFF, however, assured that the interest of all the stakeholders will be guarded and the sport will not suffer.

"The AIFF and its stakeholders will take all possible steps, and do all things within their power, to ensure continuity of the ISL in the best interests of Indian football. We request the understanding of all stakeholders in the interim," it added.

FSDL is also the commercial partner of AIFF and had signed a 15-year MRA in 2010. According to the MRA, FSDL pays the AIFF a sum of Rs 50 crore annually and in turn gets the rights to broadcast, manage and commercialise Indian football, including the national team.

The sum from the FSDL supports the federation's operations and development initiatives.

The FSDL had earlier told the ISL club owners verbally that the next edition would not start until there was clarity on the MRA.

The PTI had earlier reported that the FSDL is also planning to make a new holding company which operates the ISL, with participating clubs (60 per cent), FSDL (26 per cent) and AIFF (14 per cent) as shareholders.