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ISL Standoff Escalates as AIFF Seeks Supreme Court Direction and Players Demand Season Start

A court‑supervised tender drew no bids, leaving the league without a commercial partner as the December 8 rights expiry approaches.

Overview

  • AIFF confirmed the 15‑year ISL commercial tender closed without a single bid and said it will move the Supreme Court for guidance on next steps.
  • The Supreme Court‑appointed Bid Evaluation Committee chaired by retired Justice L. Nageswara Rao met after the deadline and is set to file its report this week.
  • Reigning champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Odisha FC and Kerala Blasters have suspended operations, increasing uncertainty over the 2025–26 calendar.
  • Senior players including Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Sandesh Jhingan issued a joint plea stating, “we want to play, and now,” urging an immediate resolution.
  • Prospective bidders flagged AIFF’s proposed payments (₹37.5 crore annually or 5% of gross revenue plus production and VAR costs) and limited governance say as deterrents, with delays also risking failure to meet AFC match‑count requirements.