NEW DELHI: Indian Super League clubs held urgent talks with football authorities on Thursday to rescue the country’s top competition from potential collapse.
The tournament faces uncertainty due to an unresolved rights agreement between the All India Football Federation and commercial partner Football Sports Development Limited.
The current deal expires on December 8 with no renewal finalised, creating chaos just weeks before the usual September-April season.
Three clubs including former champions Bengaluru FC have stopped paying player and staff salaries amid the uncertainty.
Pre-season preparations remain on hold across the league as stakeholders scramble for solutions.
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey remained hopeful after meeting representatives from all 13 ISL clubs in New Delhi.
“We are hoping to have ISL this season, though it may be a bit late,“ Chaubey told reporters.
The federation proposed potential format changes to salvage the tournament despite the delayed start.
Renewal negotiations for the 2010 agreement stalled after India’s Supreme Court intervened in a separate case involving AIFF’s constitution.
The impasse has left over 5,000 players, coaches and staff in limbo with no clear path forward.
Chaubey confirmed another round of club meetings would occur soon to find practical solutions.
Regarding unpaid salaries, the AIFF chief stated “AIFF is not going to interfere in how clubs operate”.
Launched in 2014 with star signings like Alessandro Del Piero, the ISL now battles declining viewership and sponsor withdrawals.
The league’s troubles reflect wider challenges facing Indian football despite earlier optimism about its growth potential. – AFP