The All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed on Saturday that it will conduct the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025–26 season, with the official dates set to be announced next week.
The decision was taken after the AIFF Emergency Committee met to consider and acknowledge the report submitted by the AIFF–ISL Coordination Committee. The committee was constituted on December 20, 2025, following deliberations at the AIFF Executive Committee meeting and the subsequent Annual General Meeting.
The Coordination Committee had been instructed to submit its report to the AIFF Secretariat by January 2, a directive that was duly complied with. After formally acknowledging the report, the Emergency Committee recommended that the league be conducted directly by the Federation to ensure the tournament begins as scheduled.
In a proposal shared with ISL clubs, the AIFF has recommended February 15 as the tentative start date for the 2025–26 season. Among the key recommendations, the Federation proposed levying a participation fee of ₹1 crore per club. It also stated that any club refusing to participate could be “disqualified or relegated” to the second division.
The committee further recommended that AIFF bear the costs of refereeing and broadcast production, while clubs would be responsible for organising home matches, consistent with previous seasons.
Emphasising urgency, the report stated, “the AIFF should finalise the short-term competition format in consultation with the clubs, and in the absence of consensus, exercise its authority as league owner to finalise the format without permitting further delay or digression.”
Clubs have been asked to submit their preferred competition format by January 4. The AIFF added, “we feel that a single leg home and away or a single leg centralised venue where each team plays approximately 13 matches (if all 14 teams participate) would be the appropriate option this season. Accordingly, AIFF proposes to write to AFC on 4th January 2026 to gain exemption, depending on the format chosen by clubs.”
Addressing the league’s commercial challenges, the Federation confirmed that it will retender a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a commercial partner on January 15, with the aim of onboarding a new partner by January 31.
“Under the revised structure, it remains AIFF’s clear intent that clubs lead all discussions and negotiations with regards to the commercial partner/broadcaster. However, the reality is that, finding a commercial partner/broadcaster will take typically 30 days. It is our endeavour to work jointly with clubs to prepare a new RFP for Commercial Partner/Broadcaster for this season as well as future editions, as well as tender the Production for the ISL for which we are willing to receive inputs from clubs and willing to let the clubs take a lead on this.
“To avoid delay to the League this year, we propose that the clubs proceed with the season as scheduled while the clubs and the Federation work in parallel to review and refine the existing RFP, making it more attractive for a commercial partner/broadcaster for this season and onwards,” the AIFF said.
The Federation also stated that it plans to finalise the long-term league structure and governance framework by April 20.
The ISL, which ideally should have begun in September 2025, has been delayed due to the absence of a confirmed commercial partner.
On Friday, several senior Indian footballers, including Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and Sandesh Jhingan, released a video titled ‘Save Indian Football’, urging FIFA and FIFPro to intervene, stating that “the Indian football government can no longer fulfil its responsibilities.”
