Thirteen ISL clubs propose club-led model

Thirteen Indian Super League clubs have moved to take a larger role in running India’s top football competition after months of uncertainty over the league’s commercial future. The proposal, first detailed publicly in May, would shift core operating decisions from the current structure toward a club-led model. The push comes after the expiry of the Master Rights Agreement between the All India Football Federation and Football Sports Development Ltd left the league’s long-term framework unresolved. By May 22, clubs said they had still not received the clarity they wanted from the federation. ### What exactly did the 13 clubs ask to control? The 13 clubs asked for authority over governance, scheduling, commercial negotiations, financial planning and league operations, according to a joint statement published on May 22 and reported by Khel Now. The statement said the clubs had already presented an alternative structure to the AIFF that they believed could provide “long-term stability” for Indian football. The Times of India reported on May 14 that the proposal also envisioned a club-led model for operations and commercialization, with AIFF reviewing the submission and seeking more detail. That report said 13 of the 14 ISL clubs backed the plan, with East Bengal the exception. (khelnow.com) ### Why are clubs pushing this now? The trigger was the expiry on December 8, 2025 of the Master Rights Agreement between AIFF and FSDL, the commercial partner that had run the league. Without a replacement framework, the 2025-26 season was delayed and then shortened. India Today and Firstpost both reported that the disruption left clubs facing uncertainty over revenues, planning and staffing. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) The clubs’ May 22 statement said the “continued absence of structural certainty, commercial clarity and long-term visibility” had made it harder to justify the financial and operational commitments needed to compete sustainably. Several clubs said they could review the extent of their commitment if the situation persisted. (indiatoday.in) ### Did AIFF accept the club-led model? AIFF did not accept the proposal outright. The federation said on May 14 that it was studying the model and needed further details, according to the Times of India. By May 22, there was still no consensus. The Times of India reported that AIFF and the clubs failed to reach agreement on the club-led structure, and Khel Now said the post-season statement from clubs reflected frustration after talks with the federation. (onmanorama.com) ### How does this connect to the shortened ISL season? The 2025-26 ISL season was played in a truncated format after starting late, with Firstpost reporting that the competition was reduced to 13 matches. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) That cutback became a visible sign of the wider governance and commercial deadlock. Kalyan Chaubey, the AIFF president, said on May 22 that there would be a “full-fledged” ISL next season. (article.wn.com) India Today reported that Chaubey gave that assurance after East Bengal won the title, even as clubs continued to press for a new operating structure. ### What happens next? The next formal venue for the dispute is the AIFF Special General Body Meeting, which India Today said is expected to focus on the ISL’s future commercial structure. (firstpost.com) That meeting comes with clubs still pressing for clarity on who will run the league and on what terms. (indiatoday.in) Any further move on the club-led model will involve the same named parties now at the center of the standoff: the 13 ISL clubs, the AIFF under Kalyan Chaubey, and the unresolved commercial arrangements left after the end of the AIFF-FSDL rights agreement. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) (indiatoday.in)