AIFF Floats Short-Term ISL Formats, Seeks Club Feedback Amid Uncertainty Over Finances and Broadcast

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has shared two short-term proposals for conducting the 2025–26 Indian Super League (ISL) season and has asked clubs to respond within 48 hours, amid ongoing uncertainty over the league’s structure, finances and governance.

The proposals were presented during a meeting on Wednesday between a three-member AIFF committee and representatives of five ISL clubs, including Mohun Bagan Super Giant and NorthEast United FC, who joined virtually.

Two Formats on the Table

According to officials familiar with the discussions, the first proposal suggests splitting the 14 ISL teams into East and West conferences, with seven teams in each group. Teams would play double-leg matches within their conference, with all games staged at two centralised venues.

Under this model, the top four teams from each conference would advance to a single-leg stage to determine the league champion, while the bottom three teams would battle to avoid relegation.

The second option proposes a single round-robin format, where all teams face each other once. Each club would play either six or seven home or away matches, determined randomly. The team finishing with the highest points would be crowned champions, with no playoffs.

Clubs Seek Financial Clarity

Club officials, however, stressed that format discussions are secondary to unresolved commercial and operational questions.

“The format is not the biggest issue right now,” a club representative said. “What we need clarity on is the budget, broadcast arrangements and commercial operations. Are clubs expected to pay a participation fee? If yes, how much? Who bears the cost of broadcast production? Without these answers, it’s difficult to give meaningful feedback.”

Another official said that while a conference-based format could be workable, the idea of playing at centralised venues was financially unattractive.

“A home-and-away conference model makes more sense because travel distances would be limited,” the official noted. “At a centralised venue, clubs would incur high accommodation costs even though matches are spread out over several days. That’s an unnecessary expense.”

Next Meetings and Timelines

AIFF is expected to respond to the clubs’ queries on December 26, during a second round of discussions with the committee. A final meeting involving all stakeholders has been scheduled for December 29 in New Delhi, where broader decisions on the league’s future are likely to be discussed.

AIFF’s Long-Term Vision for the ISL

Alongside the short-term proposals, the federation is also preparing a long-term restructuring plan for India’s top-tier league. According to sources, AIFF is considering a hybrid ownership and operational model, in which the federation would formally own and recognise the league, while clubs would play a significant role in its commercial management.

This move is aimed at aligning the ISL with the AIFF’s revised constitution, which states that the “seniormost top division league” must be “owned, operated and recognised by the AIFF.”

Under the proposed framework, clubs would sign participation agreements directly with the AIFF, instead of the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). Clubs would collectively have the authority to appoint a commercial partner, frame commercial regulations, secure sponsorships and finalise broadcast deals.

“Clubs will have a much stronger say in how the league is run commercially,” a source said.

AIFF’s Role Under the Hybrid Model

While clubs would handle commercial aspects, AIFF would retain control over sporting and regulatory matters, including competition regulations, match operations, referee appointments, integrity oversight and disciplinary processes.

The coming meetings are expected to be crucial in determining not just the format of the upcoming ISL season, but also the long-term governance structure of Indian football’s premier competition, at a time when stability and clarity are seen as vital for the league’s future.