NEUFC boss Juan Pedro delivers powerful message to Indian football fans ahead of ISL clash: 'Let's sacrifice 200 rupees'

The 2026 season of the Indian Super League (ISL) has finally started on February 14 after months of uncertainty and confusion. The league was originally supposed to begin in September last year, but it was put on hold because the All India Football Federation (AIFF) failed to renew its Master Rights Agreement with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). The contract was set to expire in December 2025, and without a new agreement in place, FSDL decided to pause the season.

The Indian government later stepped in to help restart the ISL 2025-26 season along with AIFF, but in a shortened format. This season will have only 91 matches. All 14 teams will play 13 games each, facing every other team once. There will be no playoffs this time. Last season, teams played at least 24 matches, and those who reached the playoffs played up to 28 games.

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Because of the long break without football, many clubs are under financial pressure. Teams like FC Goa and Bengaluru FC have even introduced pay cuts to manage expenses. The situation has been difficult for players, staff, and management across clubs in India’s top-tier football.

Juan Pedro Benali’s heartfelt message for fans

Amid this tough time, NorthEast United FC head coach Juan Pedro Benali delivered a strong and emotional message to Indian football fans ahead of their ISL clash against East Bengal.

Benali said it is easy to sit at home and criticise teams and players on social media. But according to him, real support means coming to the stadium and buying tickets. He urged fans of NorthEast United and other clubs to show that football matters in India.

He explained that even spending 100 or 200 rupees on a ticket is a sacrifice and believes that when fans make that effort, they earn the right to criticise. He also asked supporters to subscribe to streaming platforms and buy fan passes to support clubs amid the ongoing crisis.

“It’s easy to criticise on social media media. No. Buy to watch the games. Buy the ticket to watch Northeast, or your team, if you’re Northeast or East Bengali, or Kerala, make the people feel that football is important, you know? If I’m just sitting at home and trying to criticise and not even watching the game. Come to the stadiums. Go to the stadiums,” he said.

“You want to support your team. Okay, we know this is difficult moment. Just for that 100 rupees, or 200 rupees, or 50 rupees. It’s money. You know, that sacrifice, you do 10, 50 kilometres, 20, 50, 80 kilometres to go to watch the game. It’s a sacrifice, yes. But at least, when you do that sacrifice, you’re allowed to criticise, and you will feel, you know, proud to say, I helped my club. I helped Indian football,” he added.

“No, no, national team is not doing well, because that, blah blah. I understand. Okay, no problem. It’s your right. Do it. But help. 200 rupees each game. Go to Fancode and pay the season for 299 or 289. Do it. That’s the support. That’s the help. This is where the clubs can feel, I have hands. Not fans only with mouth,” he said.

The clubs, the players, the fans... All of us, together.
This is the moment to stand as one Indian football family.
The gaffer delivers a message that hits home. Every word of it is a pearl...#StrongerAsOne #8States1United #ISL12 pic.twitter.com/IjFJYISJya

— NorthEast United FC (@NEUtdFC) February 15, 2026

Benali admitted that Indian football and the national team may not be doing well at the moment, and fans have the right to express their opinions. But he stressed that this is the time to stand together and help the clubs and Indian football.

“Let’s sacrifice 200 rupees. Come to the stadium. Buy a fan pass. Buy the subscription to see Northeast. That’s what we ask for the fans. And this is the moment, not to say, Northeast will be 12, 13, 14, we’ll go to second division, we will not play. No, this is the moment to be with everyone. It doesn’t care about the results here. Be with your team. Be with your players. Because this is the real moment to be a family. This is the real moment to be India football family, altogether. The clubs together, the players together, the fans together. This is the moment to show the world, that even if 10% of the population of India loves football, only 10% is 115 million people. But let’s be together. This is my message.”