ISL clubs raise offer to buy rights

Indian Super League clubs are trying to secure greater control over the competition’s commercial rights even as the All India Football Federation has set out a tentative 2026-27 season window. The league is listed to run from September 1, 2026 to April 11, 2027 in the AIFF’s proposed calendar, but the underlying commercial structure remains unresolved. That split has left clubs, players and sponsors planning around dates without a final rights framework. The issue has become more urgent after weeks of public friction between clubs and the federation over how the league should be run. ### Why are clubs trying to buy or control the rights now? May 23 brought the dispute into the open when a majority of ISL clubs said they could review “the extent of their commitment” to the league beyond the current season because of what they called a lack of “structural certainty, commercial clarity, and long-term visibility.” In that joint statement, the clubs said the uncertainty had made it harder to justify the financial and operational commitments needed to compete. (sports.ndtv.com) March 28 was the point at which the current bidding process became public. AIFF opened bids for commercial rights covering the ISL and Federation Cup, with FanCode and Genius Sports submitting offers for those properties, while Capri Sports bid for the women’s competitions. PTI reported that Genius Sports offered 2,129 crore rupees over 20 years, while FanCode’s bid was about 1,190 crore rupees. (sports.ndtv.com) ### What model are the clubs pushing instead? May 23 also produced the clearest public outline of the clubs’ preferred alternative. NDTV, citing PTI, reported that the clubs want to keep 90% of the “economic interest in the league structure,” leaving AIFF with the remaining 10%, and want Genius Sports to serve only as the league’s data and technology partner rather than hold the broader commercial package. (cnbctv18.com) April 23 showed that Genius Sports had already been in formal talks with AIFF and club representatives. Outlook reported that the London-based company pitched a partnership model built around data, technology and commercial expertise, including a revenue-sharing framework and plans tied to fan engagement, digital systems and match operations. (sports.ndtv.com) ### Where does AIFF stand in the process? March 30 is when AIFF signaled it would not impose an immediate decision. Firstpost reported that the federation allowed ISL clubs to engage directly with bidders before finalising a long-term commercial partner for the men’s and women’s competitions, and had brought in KPMG to compare the bids. AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan told The Indian Express, as quoted by Firstpost, that clubs wanted to examine how bidders would “commercially produce the league” and how viable the offers were. (outlookindia.com) The AIFF has not yet publicly closed that process. The result is that clubs have been discussing interim and alternative structures while the formal rights tender remains unresolved, according to the reporting from Firstpost, Outlook and NDTV. ### What does the new calendar settle, and what does it not settle? (firstpost.com) June 2 gave clubs one piece of certainty. NDTV, citing PTI, reported that AIFF’s tentative 2026-27 calendar places the ISL from September 1 to April 11, with the Federation Cup scheduled from April 20 to May 10. The proposed calendar also sets dates for the Indian Football League, Indian Women’s League, Durand Cup and other domestic competitions, though it remains subject to executive committee approval. (firstpost.com) That calendar answers when the season could be played, but not who will control, sell and package the league’s commercial inventory. Until that is settled, clubs are still dealing with the same questions they raised in May about long-term visibility and operating commitments. (sports.ndtv.com) ### Who is affected while the structure is unresolved? Fourteen clubs played in the just-concluded ISL season, which NDTV said was run in a single-leg round-robin format because of administrative issues, with 91 matches played and East Bengal FC winning the title. Those clubs now face decisions on budgets, staffing and squad-building for a season that has dates but no final commercial architecture. (sports.ndtv.com) The next formal marker is AIFF executive committee approval of the tentative 2026-27 calendar, while the separate commercial-rights process remains live among AIFF, ISL clubs and bidders including Genius Sports. September 1, 2026 is the scheduled ISL start date in the current draft calendar. (sports.ndtv.com)