The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday said it would take all necessary steps to ensure the continuity of the Indian Super League (ISL), a day after the league’s organiser announced that the 2025–26 season had been placed “on hold” due to unresolved contractual issues.
In its first public statement since Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) informed clubs of its decision to suspend planning for the upcoming season, the AIFF urged stakeholders to remain patient while talks over the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) continue.
“The AIFF and its stakeholders will take all possible steps and do all things within their power to ensure continuity of the ISL in the best interests of Indian football,” the federation said in a brief statement. “We request the understanding of all stakeholders in the interim.”
The MRA between FSDL and AIFF — which underpins the structure, operations, and commercial framework of the ISL — is set to expire on December 8, 2025. The league, typically played between September and April, would be underway by then, with teams and broadcasters requiring long-term clarity to plan logistics and commercial activations.
Citing this lack of contractual certainty, FSDL earlier this week conveyed to ISL clubs that it was “not in a position to proceed with the 2025–26 ISL season” and would “place it on hold until further clarity emerges.”
The situation has triggered concern across the Indian football ecosystem, especially with the ISL being the country’s top-tier league and a crucial platform for clubs, players, and sponsors.
During a Supreme Court hearing on April 26, 2025, the AIFF was advised by its legal counsel that the court had made an observation that the MRA should not be renewed until further orders. As a result, the federation said, all discussions on the agreement’s extension have been kept in abeyance pending further directions from the Supreme Court of India.
