ISL on hold – What it means

The 2025–26 season of the Indian Super League (ISL) has been officially put on hold due to unresolved discussions between Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) over the renewal of their Master Rights Agreement (MRA). With the current MRA set to expire on December 8, 2025, and no fresh deal in place, FSDL has informed clubs it cannot proceed without contractual clarity, leaving India’s top-tier football league in limbo. The ISL, recognised as the country's premier league since 2019, now finds itself at a critical juncture, with stakeholders at odds over commercial control, governance, and the league’s long-term structure.

Discussions ongoing

Talks began several months back, initiated by the AIFF. Since then, multiple meetings have taken place in Delhi and Mumbai, but progress has been slow. In March 2025, FSDL proposed the creation of a new joint venture — ISL NewCo JV, with 60% ownership by the clubs, 26% by FSDL, and 14% by the AIFF. Under this model, AIFF would permanently recognise the new company as the rights holder for the ISL and national team matches. In response, the AIFF submitted a counterproposal titled ‘Indian Football Landscape: AIFF Vision for the ISL 2026–2035’, offering FSDL a 10-year sanction to run the ISL with full commercial freedom and a fixed calendar window. However, this included annual solidarity payments of ₹50 crore or 10% of league revenue (whichever is higher), with a 5% annual increase. The AIFF also suggested opening discussions on promotion and relegation, and proposed a change to continental qualification, with the I-League champions as opposed to the Super Cup winners, claiming the second Asian competition spot, behind the ISL winners. FSDL has not agreed to these terms yet. “Business as usual will not be sustainable for anyone. It will only put higher demands on sponsors and there won’t be return on investment,” a news outlet quoted a source familiar with the situation.