Mohun Bagan Super Giants won the last ISL.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO: FSDL
The Supreme Court of India, on Thursday, reserved its verdict regarding the All India Football Federation (AIFF) constitution yet again, adding that it will pass the final judgement on September 1 (Monday).
The AIFF constitution case has been in the apex court since 2017, when the SC directed formulation of a new constitution, one that was submitted by former Justice (Retd.) L. Nageswara Rao in 2023. But a final decision on the constitution has been pending since.
‘Potential suspension’
The FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have written to AIFF, threatening a potential suspension if its constitution is not formally ratified by October 30.
On Thursday, the SC also listened to the joint proposal of the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) about the future of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) — something it had directed in the case’s previous hearing last Friday.
“To ensure the timely commencement of the football calendar and to maintain competitive continuity, it has been agreed that the 2025-26 season may begin with the Super Cup or another domestic competition, directly under AIFF’s control after an adequate pre-season period,” the joint statement read.
The AIFF had previously said that the Super Cup will begin in September, something that the two parties also concurred with.
Secondly, the AIFF — mutually with FSDL — decided that ‘it will conduct an open, competitive and transparent tender or equivalent process for selection of a commercial partner to conduct the ISL in line with the global best practices by October 15.
“Such a process will be conducted in conformity with the National Sports Development Code 2011, the National Sports Governance Act 2025, the AIFF Constitution and the applicable FIFA and Asian Football Confederation regulations.”
“Subject to the consent of the AFC, the new league season can thereafter commence by December 2025.”
FSDL’s stance
According to the letter, signed by both parties, the FSDL, on its part, has assented to waiving its contractual right of first negotiation and right to match under the MRA dated December 8 2010, and issue a No Objection Certificate to the AIFF to conduct an open, competitive and transparent tender or equivalent process.
It also confirmed that it will not object to the exercise of the rights in relation to the ISL by any new rights holder, if any, during the tenure of the MRA.
At the monetary end, the FSDL said that it has “duly discharged the July-September quarterly rights of ₹12.5 crore under the MRA on August 18 and has agreed to advance the final tranche of the rights fee of ₹12.5 crore (October to December), if required by AIFF.”
Published – August 28, 2025 06:36 pm IST
