The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Indian Super League clubs have signed the definitive agreement to jointly run the ISL through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), bringing months of uncertainty to an end.
Under the four-year agreement, the clubs will oversee the league’s commercial operations, while the AIFF will continue to discharge its regulatory responsibilities.
The agreement follows weeks of discussions over the AIFF’s audit rights, its share in the SPV’s profits and the clubs’ exit clause.
The clubs have agreed to provide audited financial statements every season, while the AIFF will receive 10 per cent of the SPV’s net profits.
The four-year term remains in place, with clubs retaining the option to exit after the second season.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Indian Super League clubs have signed the definitive agreement to jointly run the ISL through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), bringing months of uncertainty to an end.
Under the four-year agreement, the clubs will oversee the league’s commercial operations, while the AIFF will continue to discharge its regulatory responsibilities. Each club will contribute Rs 1.1 crore this season towards the federation’s administrative and regulatory expenses, with the amount increasing gradually over the next three seasons.
The agreement follows weeks of discussions over the AIFF’s audit rights, its share in the SPV’s profits and the clubs’ exit clause. The clubs have agreed to provide audited financial statements every season, while the AIFF will receive 10 per cent of the SPV’s net profits. The four-year term remains in place, with clubs retaining the option to exit after the second season.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, AIFF secretary general Satyanarayan reiterated that strengthening the domestic league remains central to improving the national team.
“The stronger the ISL is, the stronger our national team will be. We are producing a good crop of youngsters and hopefully, in the next five to seven years, we will see a stronger Indian team,” he said, while adding that World Cup qualification cannot be viewed as an immediate target.
The AIFF also addressed the issue of Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) players. While no regulatory changes have been introduced, the federation has encouraged clubs to consider signing eligible OCI footballers.
“As of now, we are telling the clubs that, if they want, they can enlist OCI players to play in the league. Other than that, there is no change in the way they register players. They still have six foreign players. The AIFF doesn’t interfere in telling clubs what to do; we only provide the broad framework. As and when any direction comes from the ministry, we will implement it,” Satyanarayan said.
The federation also confirmed that it will not make the use of an Indian striker mandatory. The AIFF acknowledged that the shortage of Indian centre-forwards remains one of the biggest concerns for the national team but believes that clubs should address the issue through their own recruitment and development strategies rather than through a compulsory regulation.
On the participation of Diamond Harbour FC, Satyanarayan said AIFF has not received any communication from the club indicating any issues over taking part in the competition.
“As far as we are concerned, we have not received any letter from Diamond Harbour saying they are not going to participate or that they have any problem. So we assume all 14 teams are ready to go. Maybe in the next two weeks, we will know the exact position,” he said.
With the agreement now signed and the season calendar confirmed, Indian football finally has administrative clarity after months of uncertainty, allowing clubs to turn their full attention towards preparations for the new ISL campaign.
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