I-League clubs meet Sports Minister Mandaviya to express their concerns over the new season

The I-League club owners on Thursday met the Youth Affairs and Sports Minister and senior officials of the ministry to discuss important matters related to the upcoming football season in New Delhi.

The meeting was chaired by KK Tak, owner of Rajasthan United FC, and had representatives from Sreenidhi Deccan FC, Real Kashmir FC, Diamond Harbor FC, Namdhari FC, Gokulam Kerala FC and Shillong Lajong FC.

During the discussions, Mandaviya listened to the concerns of the clubs and acknowledged the challenges faced by the I-League participants. He then directed the concerned departments to work towards a positive and practical short-term solution to ensure smooth conduct of the 2025-2026 I-League season.

The ministry further emphasized that the upcoming season must maintain the highest standards of professionalism, transparency and operational excellence, with quality broadcasts and efficient execution at every level.

READ | I-League clubs boycott meeting with federation and set January 5 deadline to start season

On Wednesday, these seven I-League clubs and Chanmari FC opted to skip the meeting with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which they had called at short notice. The clubs instead wrote a letter of demands and asked for a meeting at a later date with responses from the federation.

Published on November 13, 2025