The Supreme Court has intervened in the escalating crisis threatening the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season, directing the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) to resolve their dispute over the Master Rights Agreement (MRA). Hearing the matter on Friday, a judicial bench instructed both parties to negotiate a solution and present it by the next hearing on August 28, with the future of Indian professional football hanging in the balance.
The court's intervention comes after 11 ISL clubs issued a dire warning to the AIFF, stating that the impasse has "paralysed professional football in India." In a letter to AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, the clubs, including Bengaluru FC, Mumbai City FC, and Kerala Blasters FC, expressed grave concerns over the league's continuity, cautioning that several clubs "face the real possibility of shutting down entirely" if a resolution is not found swiftly. Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal were the only ISL teams not to sign the letter.
This crisis was triggered on July 11 when FSDL, the ISL's organisers and the AIFF's commercial partner, officially put the 2025-26 season "on hold" due to the uncertainty surrounding the renewal of the MRA. The immediate fallout has been severe, with at least three clubs reportedly pausing their first-team operations or suspending salary payments to players and staff, leaving the domestic football ecosystem in a state of limbo.
The consequences of the standstill extend beyond club operations, threatening the country's international standing. The clubs' letter highlighted that without a functioning league, the Indian national team will be "severely disadvantaged" in upcoming AFC and FIFA tournaments. Furthermore, the inability to play a minimum number of competitive matches puts Indian clubs at risk of being suspended from continental competitions like the AFC Champions League.
This dispute is unfolding against a backdrop of broader legal scrutiny of the AIFF's governance, with the Supreme Court having previously reserved its verdict on a new draft constitution for the federation. As the August 28 deadline looms, the entire Indian football community is anxiously awaiting a resolution between the AIFF and FSDL, which is critical to restarting the league and preventing a potential collapse of the professional football structure built over the last decade.