Overview
- The All India Football Federation is awaiting an Asian Football Confederation decision on a waiver to the 24‑game eligibility rule that underpins India’s two AFC Champions League Two slots, with FC Goa’s play‑off place at risk if the threshold is not met.
- Fourteen top‑tier clubs asked the federation to secure clarity from the AFC after draft formats showed reduced match counts, with scenarios ranging from roughly 19 games for the champions to about 15 per team in one proposal.
- In a Sunday meeting, clubs and an AIFF panel discussed abandoning home‑and‑away schedules in favor of two or three centralised venues, with conference and single‑leg options under consideration.
- Jamshedpur FC committed to playing regardless of the final structure, while Odisha FC indicated it may pull out unless financial terms and commercial backing are resolved.
- Operational costs for a shortened competition were estimated at roughly ₹35–40 crore with a suggested ₹2.5 crore per club contribution, and the AIFF plans further updates after the AFC response and a forthcoming in‑person meeting.