ISL clubs warned may close by mid-June

Indian Super League clubs have escalated their dispute with the All India Football Federation by warning that some teams may have to shut down operations by mid-June if the current impasse is not resolved. The warning surfaced in reports published on May 13, days before the 2025-26 ISL season is due to conclude on May 21 after a shortened campaign. The dispute centers on who will control the league’s future commercial structure and how clubs will fund operations for next season. AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey is due to meet clubs and other stakeholders on May 22. ### Why are clubs talking about shutting down now? May 13 reports in Firstpost and the Times of India said club executives had been told to prepare for the possibility of closure if there is no clarity soon on the league’s future. One unnamed club CEO told the Times of India that “multiple clubs will now shut down” if the deadlock continues, while another warning cited by Firstpost said the “prudent decision” may be to “plan for closure by mid June.” (firstpost.com) FC Goa CEO Ravi Puskur told the Times of India that some players are out of contract at the end of May and clubs cannot decide on extensions, budgets or next-season planning without a settled framework. That account ties the dispute directly to squad building and operating decisions rather than only to boardroom negotiations. (firstpost.com) ### What is the fight with the AIFF actually about? Two bids for the ISL’s commercial rights over a 15+5-year period are at the center of the disagreement, according to the Times of India and Firstpost. The reports said the AIFF has been leaning toward a Genius Sports proposal, while clubs have backed a FanCode offer or argued for a club-led alternative because they say the Genius plan does not provide enough detail on league structure, revenue flows and club economics. (firstpost.com) An April 29 email cited by the Times of India and attributed to Bengaluru FC CEO Darren Caldeira said a Genius Sports presentation on April 23 did not provide a detailed operating framework, commercialisation strategy or financial projections. Caldeira wrote that clubs lacked visibility on revenue flows and cost allocations, making it difficult to judge whether the proposed structure was sustainable. (firstpost.com) ### What are the clubs proposing instead? A proposal circulated on May 13 by all ISL clubs except East Bengal called for a club-led model for future league operations and commercialisation, according to the Times of India and Firstpost. Under that approach, clubs would play the lead role in running and selling the competition, while limiting Genius Sports to a narrower data or technology role rather than full commercial control. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Firstpost reported that the proposal was sent to the AIFF hierarchy and the sports ministry. The Times of India reported the same proposal was emailed ahead of the clubs’ scheduled meeting with Chaubey and before an AIFF Special General Meeting. ### How much money is at stake for the clubs and the federation? (firstpost.com) The Times of India reported that Genius Sports’ bid was valued at 64.39 crore rupees per year, or about 2,129 crore rupees over 20 years, while FanCode’s bid was 36 crore rupees per season, or about 1,190 crore rupees over 20 years. The same report said clubs favored FanCode’s proposal because they viewed it as more workable despite the lower headline value. (firstpost.com) A separate Firstpost report on May 4 said clubs were also alarmed by discussion of a possible 3 crore rupee participation fee per team to help offset lower federation income after the end of the previous commercial arrangement with Football Sports Development Limited. AIFF deputy secretary general M. Satyanarayan told the Times of India, as quoted by Firstpost, that no final decision had been made and that the idea was not to burden clubs. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) ### How unusual is this moment for the league? The AIFF’s own competition page says the ISL began in 2014 and was recognized by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation as India’s top-tier domestic league in October 2019. The federation says the league has 14 clubs. The current season has already been compressed. Firstpost reported that the 2025-26 campaign started only in February after months of delay and will end on May 21 after teams played only 13 matches. (firstpost.com) The AIFF fixture list shows matches scheduled through May 21. ### What happens next on May 22 and after? May 22 is the next formal checkpoint in the dispute. (the-aiff.com) Firstpost and the Times of India reported that Chaubey is due to meet clubs and other stakeholders that day, one day after the season’s scheduled end. May 23 is also in view. The Times of India reported that the AIFF has called a Special General Meeting in Kolkata a day after the Chaubey-clubs meeting, making those two dates the next venues for any decision on the league’s commercial model and operating structure. (firstpost.com) (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)