Panaji: Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have formally asked the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to grant them the rights to “operate, manage, and commercially exploit” India’s top-tier football league for a fee of Rs 10 crore annually from 2026-27.For this season, due to the “extraordinary transitional circumstances” and the need to ensure uninterrupted continuity of the football season, the clubs – except for East Bengal — said they won’t be able to pay any fee for the rights to the top tier league. If approved by the AIFF general body which meets on Saturday in the Capital, the participating clubs will collectively hold a permanent majority shareholding, while AIFF will have one special share, safeguarding sporting integrity, regulatory authority, and statutory compliance.The clubs said they can get the league running within 45 days.“We have had four meetings with the AIFF, two with the sports ministry, and at the end of it, the clubs are the only group to put a concrete proposal on the table,” a senior club official told TOI on Friday. “We have acted out of responsibility, not convenience. The aim is to ensure Indian football does not come to a complete halt. For Indian football to move forward, we need leadership, collaboration and decisive action. The clubs have done their part, now the ecosystem needs to come together.”In its tender for the commercial rights that found no takers, the AIFF had sought a minimum of Rs 37.5 crore annually for the commercial rights.For the first time since 1996 when India moved from a tournament to semi-professional league structure, the top tier league has failed to kick off because of AIFF’s inability to find a commercial partner.According to the new AIFF constitution, the “senior most top division league” should be owned, operated, and recognised by the AIFF. The clubs have sought help from the sports ministry to engage constructively with all stakeholders and assist in placing before the Supreme Court “the necessity and rationale for amending the required constitutional clauses to enable a modern, transparent, and globally aligned league governance framework.”In its virtual meeting with the sports ministry and AIFF on Thursday, the clubs had raised the need for a realistic financial framework to ensure that the upcoming league season can go ahead in the absence of a commercial partner and amid a drastically altered revenue landscape. This season, the clubs will have limited sponsors and no central revenue, which forms a major part of their income.“We discussed the broader economic reality facing Indian football. Salaries form the largest portion of expenditure for every team, and any long-term solution will require collaboration from all stakeholders. We have not issued any directive to players,” said another official.The official said they have paid players so far and honoured their commitment, even when the league itself remains uncertain.“This is not clubs versus players. Any discussion on contracts must be lawful, consensual and handled with sensitivity. The point made in the meeting was that, globally, football resets in crisis years. India cannot be an exception, but it has to be done responsibly,” said the official.
