When the Indian Super League (ISL) launched amid great fanfare in 2013, it was hailed as a gamechanger for football in the country. But after an eventful first decade, the tournament now faces an uncertain future. Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the Reliance Group-owned marketing arm managing India’s premier football competition, announced late Friday that it is placing the ISL “on hold.”
The reason: uncertainty over the crucial Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between FSDL and the All India Football Federation (AIFF), with the current 15-year deal expiring on December 8 this year.
Given this situation, we regret to inform you (the ISL clubs) that we are currently not in a position to proceed with the 2025–26 ISL season and are placing it on hold until further clarity emerges on the contractual structure beyond the current MRA term.
While the AIFF tried to soothe nerves on Saturday with a vague press release, the three Kolkata giants in the ISL blamed the federation but remained hopeful that the crisis would soon be resolved. Mohun Bagan Super Giant, reigning ISL Shield champions, along with Emami East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting, are continuing to rebuild their squads for the new season. In contrast, former champions Kerala Blasters have asked all their overseas players to seek other clubs amid the uncertainty.
Speaking to Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net), Srinjoy Bose, the newly elected secretary of Mohun Bagan Super Giant, did not mince words blaming the AIFF.
It’s a shame that the future of the country’s premier league has been held to ransom like this. The AIFF knew all along that their deal with FSDL ends in December — by which time the ISL is already underway — so why didn’t they resolve this earlier? All stakeholders should come together and end this impasse as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, a top Emami East Bengal official refused to panic over FSDL’s warning. “We feel that the ISL will happen, no matter who organises it. It’s neither in FSDL’s interest nor the Union government’s to let the league stop,” said Debabrata Sarkar, the East Bengal supremo, whose club is still chasing its glory days in the ISL.
Mohammedan Sporting, who debuted in the ISL last season after winning the I-League in 2023–24, sounded equally unruffled. In a phone interview, club secretary Ishtiaque Ahmed described FSDL’s announcement as a pressure tactic to secure better terms.
Interestingly, the first MRA signed in 2010 for 15 years reportedly committed FSDL to pay the AIFF an annual guarantee of ₹50 crore. Sources familiar with the new negotiations say FSDL now wants to form a new company to run the league, with a different shareholding structure — which could benefit clubs in the long run.
I feel it’s a bit of a pressure tactic from FSDL. Honestly, we are neither for nor against the ISL, as it hasn’t really helped Indian football. When ISL started, India’s FIFA ranking was around 100 — now it’s down to 133. The so-called gloss and reliance on overseas players may have made the ISL more spectator-friendly, but it has certainly devalued the I-League, which was the backbone of our football system since the mid-90s.
Crucially, it was the Supreme Court that halted MRA discussions because of a long-standing case over the AIFF’s draft constitution. A final judgment is expected on July 18 when courts reopen. Alarm bells first rang when the ISL was omitted from the 2025–26 AIFF calendar released in June. Seven ISL teams have already pulled out of the Durand Cup, scheduled to kick off on July 23.
While no senior AIFF officials were reachable by phone, their statement read: “The AIFF and its stakeholders will take all possible steps and do everything within their power to ensure the continuity of the ISL in the best interests of Indian football. We request the understanding of all stakeholders in the interim.”
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