 "Supreme Court reserves verdict in ISL MRA case, to announce decision on AIFF constitution soon")
The Supreme Court reserved its order on the ongoing Master Rights Agreement case involving the All India Football Federation and Indian Super League organisers Football Sports Development Limited.
A bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi has stated that it will pronounce a “short order” on the burning issue of the MRA, which is necessary for the 12th season of the ISL to go ahead, before delivering their verdict on the AIFF constitution case.
“First, we will pronounce a short order and then we will pronounce the verdict on the constitution. The judgment is ready but we have not pronounced it as there is uncertainty over the Act coming into force,” Justice Narasimha said.
Judgement to hold ground till National Sports Governance Act comes into force
The bench asked Additional Solicitor General (ASG) KM Nataraj how much time the government will take to come up with rules and other modalities to make the National Sports Governance Act of 2025 come into force.
The ASG said work is in progress and it may take a month or three months or may be six months for the Act to come into force.
The bench said it cannot wait for that long and clarified that till the Act comes into force, the judgment will hold its ground.
Senior advocate Maneka Guruswamy, appearing in the court for one of the parties, said this should not mean that the constitutionality of the Act has been upheld as there are several aspects like bringing the state associations in the ambit of the central Act that will certainly be challenged.
The bench said the validity of the law or its provisions can be challenged anytime and it will clarify the position in the judgment on the issue of constitution.
SC bench disagrees with AIFF’s ‘Big Four’ approach
Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing in the court for the AIFF, said the federation has agreed that it will conduct an open, competitive and transparent tender (or equivalent process) for selecting a commercial partner to conduct the ISL, in line with global best practices.
Reading from the resolution, Kumar said such a process will be conducted in conformity with the National Sports Development Code-2011, the National Sports Governance Act-2025, the AIFF constitution and applicable regulations of the FIFA or the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Also Read | Likely dates for Super Cup, ISL revealed as AIFF, FSDL submit joint proposal before SC
“The process may be managed by an independent professional firm of repute, such as one of the Big Four or an entity of equivalent standing,” he said.
The bench said it does not believe any “Big Four” or any such entity.
Kumar said the AIFF and the FSDL have agreed that the process will be concluded by October 15, thereby providing certainty to clubs, broadcasters, sponsors and other stakeholders and thereafter, the new league season can commence in December.
On August 28, the top court said India has “excellent talent” and it would go the “extra mile” for the finalisation of the AIFF draft constitution for the game’s betterment.
Amicus curiae and senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan had earlier referred to a letter sent by the FIFA to the AIFF, fixing the October 30 deadline to set the house in order and “secure a definitive order from the Supreme Court of India, approving the revised AIFF constitution and ensure full alignment of the AIFF constitution with the mandatory provisions of the FIFA and AFC statutes and regulations”.
The apex court had earlier asked the AIFF and the FSDL to sort out the issue concerning the renewal of the master rights agreement, which has affected the ISL this season.
Also Read | FSDL unlikely to walk away from Indian football despite waiving rights granted under existing ISL MRA
On August 18, the court agreed to hear the matter involving the tiff between the AIFF and the FSDL over the fate of 11 ISL franchises due to the non-renewal of their contracts with the national federation and the tournament’s organisers.
The 11 ISL clubs have warned the AIFF that they “face the real possibility of shutting down entirely” if the impasse regarding the future of the top-tier domestic football competition is not resolved soon.
With PTI inputs
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