Same day deadline, two hours notice for Zoom meeting: AIFF’s last-minute ISL memo causes Exco uproar

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) came under criticism on Wednesday after it sought suggestions from its executive committee (ExCo) on alternative plans to organize the Indian Super League (ISL), the country’s top men’s football league, without giving members enough time to respond.

Earlier in the day, a letter had been circulated from M. Satyanarayan, Deputy General Secretary of AIFF, seeking written feedback at 5 pm the same evening. Barely half an hour before the deadline, another email was sent, replacing the written response with a hastily scheduled Zoom meeting at 7 p.m. Some members even received the message later, making it difficult for them to participate.

“As you may be aware, the Honorable Justice LN Rao (Retd. Supreme Court Judge) is expected to submit his report on the Request for Qualification (RFQ) of the All India Football Federation, prepared by KPMG, for selection of a commercial partner to manage and monetize the commercial rights of AIFF for a specified period,” Satyanarayan wrote in the letter seen by Sports stars.

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«Though the matter is still pending before the Honorable Supreme Court, it is likely that once Justice Rao’s report is submitted and the matter is mentioned by AIFF, the Court may seek clarification on any alternative plan that AIFF has to organize and manage the ISL in accordance with the Constitution. In this context, we seek your valuable views and suggestions.»

The AIFF had earlier submitted a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a commercial partner for the ISL for 15 years, offering rights worth ₹37.4 crore per annum. The new arrangement would come into effect after the current agreement with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) expires in December 2025.

But after the extended deadline passed on November 7 (5 p.m.), the federation received no bids. The Bid Evaluation Committee, chaired by Justice Rao, met on Sunday and is now expected to submit its report to the Supreme Court, including inputs from the ExCo.

Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, ExCo members declined to comment on the future of the ISL. However, the sudden letter, which arrived just two hours before the planned meeting, caused visible discontent within the federation.

The Federation is no longer united. We don’t really know what the future of ISL and I-League will be,» an AIFF official told Sportstar. «Though there has been a lot of talk, there is no clarity, no written documents. Most ExCo members have not been kept informed. I don’t want the AIFF to continue like this.”

The continued uncertainty has effectively brought men’s football in India to a standstill. Several top clubs – including Kerala Blasters, Odisha FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant – have temporarily suspended their activities, while players have issued a joint statement urging an urgent solution to the impasse.

“I’m surprised this letter was sent at all,” said another senior official. «I had given almost a hundred inputs on how KPMG should structure the RFP and how the bid evaluation committee should be formed, but none of them were taken into account. Most of us were not even told how KPMG was selected. And when we finally saw the RFP, it was clear that it would not attract any bidders. In fact, the original proposal pegged the bid amount at around ₹100 crore, to which there were clear objections.»

Published on November 12, 2025