All ISL Clubs Ask Sports Ministry To Suspend Relegation System For '3-5 Years'

All 14 Indian Super League clubs have reportedly made a united approach to the Union sports ministry, urging that relegation be suspended not only for the curtailed 2025–26 season but for at least the next three to five years as well. According to The Hindustan Times, in their submission on Friday, the clubs requested the ministry to place their position before the Supreme Court through the Solicitor-General of India.

Acting on directions from the Supreme Court, the ministry had stepped in after the ISL failed to commence on schedule due to the absence of a confirmed commercial partner. The apex court had asked the government to suggest a workable solution that it could formally approve.

After a January 6 meeting with ISL club CEOs, sports minister

Mansukh Mandaviya announced February 14 as the start date for the upcoming season. Owing to time constraints, the league will follow a single round-robin format, with teams playing each other once to determine the champions.

In a detailed seven-page letter addressed to the joint secretary, the clubs have argued that the abridged season amounts to a ‘virtual force majeure.’ In law, it refers to extraordinary, unforeseeable circumstances beyond a party’s control that prevent normal obligations from being fulfilled, such as natural disasters, wars, or sudden regulatory disruptions.

The clubs contend that enforcing relegation under such circumstances would compromise competitive fairness and risk eroding investor confidence. The clubs also point out that preparation levels have been uneven, with disparities in access to infrastructure and preparation time caused by factors beyond their control.

Looking beyond the current season, the clubs have sought a longer moratorium on relegation, citing a fundamental shift in the league’s structure. With no guaranteed commercial revenue in place, owners are being forced to assume greater financial responsibility.

A temporary freeze on demotion, they argue, would give stakeholders time to reassess and stabilise long-term investment strategies during this transitional phase.

The request, however, runs up against existing governance principles. The Supreme Court-approved AIFF constitution mandates promotion and relegation in India’s top-tier football.

In 2019, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the clubs had agreed to an Asian Football Confederation roadmap that envisaged relegation from the 2024–25 season. The league has already taken steps in that direction by allowing promotion of I-League champions from the 2023–24 season.