ISL season put on hold following AIFF, FSDL spat

The Indian Super League on Friday announced that it has 'put on hold' its 2025-26 season, citing uncertainties related to the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between the league organisers and the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

The current agreement between Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and the AIFF is set to expire on December 8, halfway through the tournament's schedule, which starts around September and runs through April. "In the absence of a confirmed contractual framework beyond December, we find ourselves unable to effectively plan, organise, or commercialise the 2025-26 ISL season," FSDL said in a letter addressed to all the ISL clubs.

The tournament organisers also informed the clubs that it could not proceed with the 2025-2026 ISL season due to the situation and are putting it on hold until further developments on the contractual structure are made. "We assure you that this decision has not been taken lightly," it said. 

Following a directive from the Supreme Court, the AIFF has been asked not to negotiate new terms of the MRA with FSDL, the apex governing body's commercial partner running the ISL, until a final judgment is delivered in the AIFF draft constitution case.

"While discussions between FSDL and AIFF on the potential renewal of the MRA were initiated several months ago, they remain inconclusive at this time. In this backdrop, we believe it is important for Clubs to be informed of the evolving situation. This communication is being issued by FSDL on a bona fide basis and in the interest of transparency, to enable all Clubs to plan appropriately for any potential contingencies," FSDL told the clubs. They also assured the clubs that it is "monitoring developments closely" and will continue to keep them informed. 

FSDL, also the commercial partner of AIFF, signed a 15-year MRA in 2010. According to the agreement, FSDL pays the AIFF ₹50 crore annually, and in turn gets the broadcast rights, manages and commercialises Indian football, which also includes the national team. The sum from the FSDL supports the federation's operations and development initiatives.