NEW DELHI, Dec 1:The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has scheduled a series of meetings with all stakeholders, including the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League clubs, on December 3, in an effort to break the current impasse in Indian football that has virtually brought all domestic club engagements to a standstill.
The union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is expected to chair the meetings, a letter regarding this was issued to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) by the Sports Ministry on Monday.
“The presence of all relevant stakeholders- ISL clubs, Prospective Commercial Partners, FSDL, Broadcasters and OTT Platforms, I-League & Lower Division Clubs etc. will be crucial for effective deliberation of the matter,” the letter from the ministry said.
Indian football is currently passing through one of its worst phases in recent years after the AIFF, headed by its president, Kalyan Chaubey, failed to secure a commercial partner that would ensure the running of ISL, the country’s premier league, and all other domestic tournaments.
The 15-year commercial contract (Master Rights Agreement) that the AIFF had with its current partners, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), is coming to an end on December 8, 2025. The talks between AIFF and FSDL for further contract renewal fell through, despite several meetings.
As several stakeholders approached the court of law, including the AIFF and FSDL, a division bench of the Supreme Court in October ordered the AIFF to issue a fresh tender inviting bids for a commercial partner under the supervision of Justice (Retired) LN Rao. The effort, however, hit a wall, as there were no takers for the bid floated by the AIFF with a minimum guarantee of Rs. 37.5 crore per year.
The matter once again came up in the Supreme Court, which, on November 21, asked the sports ministry to look into the issue. The meeting, scheduled for December 3, is the initial effort on the part of the Sports Ministry to break the deadlock in domestic football and find a solution acceptable to all.
(UNI)
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