Indian football crisis: ISL clubs asked to submit proposal regarding consortium

The Indian Super League (ISL) clubs were on Thursday asked to submit a proposal with regards to formation of a consortium to run the league, the 2025-26 season of which is yet to start. Representatives of all ISL clubs have been invited to attend the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the AIFF on Saturday, on the sidelines of which the matter will be discussed.

“Regarding the consortium thing, the clubs have been told to submit to the ministry their proposal so that it can be discussed during the Dec 20 AGM. But there is no guarantee,” a club representative told PTI.

The matter was also discussed during a virtual meeting between officials of the AIFF, representatives of the ISL clubs and the sports ministry on Thursday.

Sports ministry asks ISL clubs told to submit proposal over consortium

The clubs have been asked to submit the proposal by Friday evening.

The AIFF has also told the clubs that according to the new constitution any amendment of its provision can be done only after the General Body of the national federation is formed according to the new constitution itself.

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“It could be hotchpotch also since the new National Sports Grievance Act is likely to be implemented shortly. So there can be changes under the Act also,” a source in the know of things said.

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Meanwhile, it was also learned that the Indian Women’s League (IWL), starting December 20, will be held without a sponsor as an agreement could not be reached between the AIFF and Capri Sports, which was the lone bidder to the national federation’s tender to monetise the commercial rights of the first and second divisions of the Indian Women’s League for five years.

Capri Sports is the sports business division of Capri Global, and own the UP Warriorz franchise in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Sharjah Warriors (ILT20) in the UAE, Rajasthan Warriors (Ultimate Kho Kho league) and Bengal Warriors (Pro Kabaddi League).

The clubs had earlier suggested forming a consortium to end the ongoing commercial impasse in Indian football, following which the AIFF said it would require deliberations and approval by the Executive Committee and the AGM.

The Marketing Rights Agreement (MRA) between the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) – which organised the ISL for 12 seasons since its inception in 2014 – ended on December 8, and after that the top-tier league was left without a commercial framework.