Indian Super League clubs, except East Bengal, following a meeting on Friday has proposed to the AIFF and Union Sports Ministry in a joint email where the clubs have sought perpetual rights to “operate, manage, and commercially exploit” the top-tier professional league and at the same time, they have mentioned unwillingness to pay any amount to the AIFF this season. Rather, in their e-mail the clubs have mentioned they will pay an amount to the AIFF, but only Rs 10 crores, and that will start from 2026-27 onwards.
The clubs have also pointed out that the Federation can utilize the amount for grassroots and youth development, referee, coach, and technical development, apart from administrative and governance expenses.
It has also been proposed that AIFF should give them an official approval for the rights of the League and ownership structure to a “dedicated league company in perpetuity, where the clubs shall collectively hold a “permanent” majority shareholding pattern.
“AIFF shall hold one special share, safeguarding sporting integrity, regulatory authority, and statutory compliance; and the Clubs shall have the flexibility to induct a commercial or strategic partner at the league level, provided always that the Clubs, individually and collectively, retain majority ownership and voting control,” it is written in the letter.
The clubs want to have the majority of shareholding in the League company even after dilution of stakes to induct a commercial partner, with AIFF having the perpetual right to nominate only one director on its board. Surprisingly, the clubs have not mentioned the promotion and relegation from the ISL in their proposal e-mail.
In the proposed framework, AIFF role would only be limited to “regulatory and governance functions”, which would include framing and enforcing competition regulations, disciplinary codes, club licensing requirements, referees and match officials and preparation of the schedule calendar, but would not bear any “commercial risk” or responsibility to operate the league.
AIFF received Rs 50 crore of an average for the last 10 years as per its 15-year agreeement with Reliance-subsidiary FSDL that ended on December 8.
