ISL Future In Flux: Clubs Propose New Ownership Model, AIFF To Oversee

Clubs participating in the Indian Super League (ISL) have decided to come together and propose a new working and ownership model for the league that is based on a club owned league model and that keeps AIFF as the regulator of football. The clinics, in a letter sent to the AIFF and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, proposed that the league should be set up with a company that would have a majority stake held by the clubs and AIFF would have a minority share for the purpose of protecting the integrity and for regulatory supervision. 

What Is This New Ownership Model By ISL Clubs?

According to the suggested framework, AIFF would be the sole authority for regulation and would not have to assume any financial or operational risks while at the same time being responsible for the professional conduct of the sport and mainly focusing on the development of the grassroots. In view of the transitional difficulties, the suggestion has been made that no payments for league rights should be made to AIFF for the 2025-26 season, with the possibility of a yearly grant of ₹10 crore from 2026-27 onwards to cover the expenses of the grassroots, technical development, and administration. The clubs will also require the option to bring in commercial partners while still holding the majority ownership.

ISL Future

The decision was made over the backdrop of the still uncertain situation regarding the Indian Super League (ISL) season of 2025-26 which is yet to begin due to the termination of the present commercial contracts and the legal conflict over alterations to the AIFF constitution. The Indian Super League (ISL) teams have been invited to be present at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting of the AIFF where the motion is anticipated to be talked about. The clubs have demanded a joint working group with the AIFF and the Ministry to resolve legal, regulatory and transitional issues, such as getting approvals from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), FIFA and the Supreme Court. The primary objective is to keep elite Indian football from being disrupted and to maintain the competition.

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