The Indian Super League (ISL) is at a pivotal crossroads, with nearly every club—East Bengal being the lone exception—demanding major constitutional reforms from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) before any serious talks about the league’s future can proceed. Tensions have been building for months, but the latest exchange between the clubs and the federation has brought the simmering debate into the open, setting the stage for a potentially transformative shift in Indian football’s top flight.
On December 5, 2025, ISL clubs excluding East Bengal fired off a detailed letter to the AIFF, zeroing in on three key articles of the federation’s constitution: Articles 1.21, 1.54, and 63. These sections, the clubs argue, are at the heart of ongoing commercial and operational restrictions that, in their words, make it impossible to build a sustainable, club-led league structure. With the ISL’s future schedule still up in the air and commercial partners eager for flexibility, the timing of these demands couldn’t be more critical.
Article 1.21, for instance, defines the financial year for AIFF as April 1 to March 31. While that might sound routine, the ISL’s next season hasn’t even been planned, meaning commercial partners—whether sponsors, broadcasters, or investors—need the freedom to negotiate contracts that don’t necessarily fit within that rigid window. It’s a technical detail, but one with huge real-world consequences for how the league does business.
The other two articles, 1.54 and 63, are even more central to the clubs’ grievances. Both grant the AIFF exclusive authority over league ownership and all its entities, effectively locking clubs out of major commercial decisions. For a league that aspires to match the club-driven models seen in Europe and elsewhere, these clauses represent a formidable roadblock.
Just a day before the clubs’ most recent reply, on December 10, AIFF Deputy Secretary General M. Satyanarayan reached out to the clubs, proposing a call to discuss the possibility of jointly hosting the league. The clubs’ response was swift and unequivocal: without constitutional amendments, such talks would be pointless. Their letter, penned by Vinay Chopra, the managing director of Mohun Bagan Super Giant on behalf of all clubs, didn’t mince words. According to Chopra, “The Clubs remain open and committed to working with the AIFF towards a club-led model, consistent with global best practices. However, for such a model to be financially and operationally viable, Clubs must have commercial flexibility—including the ability to attract sponsors, investors, and long-term partners.”
The letter goes on to stress, “This is not possible until the commercially restrictive clauses in the AIFF Constitution are amended or removed. Without this change, no sustainable league structure can be built, regardless of good intentions.” The message is clear: the clubs aren’t just looking for a seat at the table—they want real power and the freedom to shape the ISL’s commercial destiny.
What’s on the table? The clubs have laid out two stark options for the federation. First, the AIFF can explicitly support the removal of these restrictive clauses or, better yet, implement the amendments itself during the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for December 20, 2025. If that path is taken, the next step would be for the federation, in partnership with the government and the clubs, to transparently identify a suitable commercial partner for the league.
If the AIFF finds this approach institutionally problematic—or if the process stalls—the clubs have proposed a bold alternative: after removing the constitutional barriers, the federation could hand over long-term rights to the league itself. The clubs, they insist, are fully prepared to operate, commercialize, and develop the league, either on their own or in partnership with the AIFF, in line with global best practices. This would include securing sponsors, broadcasters, commercial partners, and strategic investors, effectively shifting the ISL’s business model to one where the clubs have real skin in the game.
The clubs’ letter also makes it clear that they’re not interested in more of the same. “We are ready to attend a meeting at the earliest, but such a meeting must have a clear, pre-circulated agenda aimed at taking constructive, time-bound decisions—not reiterating constraints that have been known for months,” they wrote. The implication is unmistakable: the clubs are done with endless discussions that go nowhere, and they want concrete action—fast.
On the federation’s side, there’s been some movement, albeit cautious. It’s understood that the AIFF has forwarded the clubs’ earlier letter to the Sports Ministry, a move that could bring government stakeholders into the conversation. Whether this signals a willingness to consider the clubs’ demands or simply a procedural step remains to be seen.
The broader context here is crucial. Indian football has long grappled with questions of governance and commercial viability. While the ISL has brought a new level of professionalism and visibility to the sport, the underlying structures have often lagged behind global standards. The current standoff is, in many ways, a reflection of the growing pains that come with trying to transition from a federation-driven model to one where clubs have genuine autonomy and responsibility.
There’s also the question of East Bengal, the only club not to sign the latest letter. Their reasons haven’t been made public, but their absence is notable, given the club’s storied history and passionate fan base. Whether East Bengal will eventually join the push for reform—or chart its own course—remains an open question and could have significant implications for how unified the clubs’ front truly is.
With the AGM looming on December 20, all eyes are now on the AIFF. Will the federation seize the moment and embark on a path toward meaningful reform, or will it stick to its guns and risk a deeper rift with its most important stakeholders? The stakes couldn’t be higher—not just for the clubs and the AIFF, but for the future of Indian football itself.
For now, the ISL’s fate hangs in the balance, with clubs and federation locked in a high-stakes negotiation that could reshape the sport’s landscape in India for years to come. As both sides prepare for what promises to be a decisive meeting, fans and observers alike are left wondering: will real change finally come to Indian football, or will entrenched interests once again carry the day?
One thing’s for sure—the next chapter in the ISL saga is about to be written, and it’s bound to be a dramatic one.