AIFF defers ISL commercial deal as federation adopts governance act
AIFF has deferred a binding decision on the ISL’s next long-term commercial partner while unanimously adopting India’s National Sports Governance Act framework and sending negotiations back to its Executive Committee.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has pushed back a binding decision on the Indian Super League’s next commercial rights framework, opting to send negotiations back to its Executive Committee as clubs warn that long-term commitments without clear modelling could destabilise the league.The decision was taken at a Special General Body Meeting in Kolkata, where the federation also unanimously approved adoption of the National Sports Governance Act 2025 (NSGA) and agreed to begin aligning key governance clauses with the new regime.ISL clubs had urged the AIFF General Body not to lock in a long-cycle agreement during the meeting, arguing that they had not been provided enough clarity on revenue flows, downside protection and the cost burden clubs carry.In an email circulated to federation leadership ahead of the meeting, the clubs requested that “no binding decision be taken”, while calling for a collaborative process that protects the long-term viability of professional football operations.At the centre of the dispute is the proposed Master Rights Agreement for ISL and related properties, with two bids understood to be under consideration, including a proposal from Genius Sports and an alternative from FanCode.The Genius Sports proposal has been presented as a 15+5-year structure worth ₹64.4 crore per year with a 5% annual increase, a long-term package that would total more than ₹2,100 crore across the cycle.Clubs have pushed for a club-led operating model, with Genius Sports’ scope limited to data and technology, and have argued the current structure leaves clubs exposed given they fund player wages, staffing, infrastructure and development activity.AIFF’s General Body did not approve either bidder at the meeting, instead agreeing a process that effectively returns the commercial negotiations to the Executive Committee.An AIFF statement said: “The Federation further discussed the Master Rights Agreement, for which, it has received bids from two entities. To that extent, the General Body unanimously approved that the Executive Committee be given the power to discuss and deliberate upon the MRA negotiations.”That approach gives AIFF a route to continue talks while staying within the constraints of its constitution and legal advice, but it also extends uncertainty for clubs planning budgets, player retention and sponsorship strategy.Governance reform ran in parallel, with the NSGA adoption framed as a structural step to modernise federation processes and compliance, particularly around transparency and decision-making standards.The General Body also agreed that a draft constitution for Member Associations will be shared, with state bodies given 15 days to respond with final suggestions, a timeline that signals a near-term push to tidy governance documentation while commercial negotiations remain unresolved.The next phase now sits with the Executive Committee, which must reconcile the federation’s need for guaranteed central income with club demands for clearer financial safeguards and a model they believe is sustainable beyond the current season.