new delhi: Twelve Indian Super League (ISL) clubs on Thursday urged the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to amend the “commercially restrictive” clauses of its constitution during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on December 20, in another reminder that the domestic game may collapse if immediate steps are not taken.
All the ISL teams, except for East Bengal, said the AIFF should transfer the long-term rights of the top-tier league to the clubs if the national federation is unable to bring the necessary amendments or provide a commercially viable framework.
“...the AIFF should either expressly support removal of commercially restrictive clauses in the Constitution, or itself undertake these amendments at the forthcoming AGM on 20 December 2025,” the clubs wrote in a letter to the AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey. “Thereafter, the federation along with the support of the Government and the Clubs proceed to transparently identify an appropriate commercial partner.
“If the AIFF is unwilling or unable to support the necessary amendments or provide a commercially viable framework for the league, then the only logical solution is for the Federation to transfer the long-term rights of the league to the Clubs.”
Thursday’s letter from the ISL clubs came after a missive a few days back in which they had asked the AIFF to consider a framework under which they (the ISL clubs) may collectively form a consortium to own/operate the league as majority owners, alongside the national federation and aligned investors in case a suitable commercial partner is not found.
A recent tender floated by the AIFF for the commercial rights of the ISL could not find any bidder. “Clubs must have commercial flexibility, including the ability to attract sponsors, investors, and long-term partners. This is not possible until the commercially restrictive clauses in the AIFF Constitution are amended or removed. Without this change, no sustainable league structure can be built, regardless of good intentions,” the letter said.
In the earlier letter of December 5, the clubs had even said that under the new AIFF Constitution, the national federation “possesses the authority to amend its own statutes including those impeding commercial operation of the league-without requiring judicial directions.”
In its reply to Thursday’s letter from the clubs, the AIFF said the options remain limited as the Supreme Court is seized of the matter. “As the matter is currently sub judice before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, and with the report already submitted by Justice LN Rao to the court, our options remain limited,” AIFF deputy secretary general K Satyanarayan wrote in his reply to the clubs.