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All 14 Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have officially notified the All India Football Federation (AIFF) of their participation in the delayed 2025-26 season, paving the way for the top-tier domestic competition to commence on February 14.
On January 6, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that the ISL, which had been on hold due to the lack of a commercial partner, would start on February 14, with all 14 clubs participating.
Despite the minister’s announcement, some clubs had only agreed to participate “in principle” and had not confirmed in writing. However, all clubs have now formally confirmed their participation, according to an AIFF source.
Many clubs have also provided details of the venues for their home matches.
“Yes, all the 14
clubs have confirmed participation in writing,” the source was quoted as saying by PTI.
The top-tier ISL will feature 91 matches on a home-and-away basis.
AIFF’s Plans For ISL
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey previously stated that a Governing Council Board would be established to manage the league and would be “empowered to take all commercial decisions.”
It is understood that the AIFF and the clubs will hold an online meeting on Tuesday to discuss the formation of the Governing Council Board.
“The online meeting will also discuss the Request for Proposal (for selection of a commercial rights partner) and some other things,” the source added.
On Saturday, the AIFF requested that the clubs submit details of their home match venues by Monday noon so that work on the fixture and the finalisation of broadcast and commercial rights partners could begin.
In a letter to the clubs, from AIFF Deputy General Secretary M Satyanarayan stated: “AIFF (will) share the draft of the framework for the governance of ISL, the draft RFPs to appoint broadcast and commercial rights partners for the 2025-26 season, seek exemption from the AFC (regarding ACL 2 slots), start work on fixtures and other allied matters, and start preparation of participation agreements to be entered with the clubs,” the AIFF had said in a letter to the clubs.
“AIFF will also take best efforts to co-ordinate with competent authorities at venue (s), to enable seamless organisation of the upcoming season of the ISL. AIFF is also committed to liaise with the Asian Football Confederation and seek the necessary exemptions for the upcoming season.”.
The AIFF also expressed its commitment to liaise with the Asian Football Confederation for necessary exemptions for the upcoming season.
Regarding the league’s finances, the AIFF mentioned, “The 2025-26 season of the ISL is proposed to be held on a total budget of INR 24 Crores Twenty Six Lakhs Seventy Four Thousand (INR 24,26,74,000/-) with an initial contribution of INR Nine Crores Seventy Seven Lakh Forty Thousand (INR 9,77,40,000/-) from the AIFF and a contribution of INR One Crore (INR 1,00,00,000/-) each from the participating clubs.”
The AIFF had previously stated its willingness to accept the participation fee of Rs 1 crore per club in instalments up to June 2026 if clubs were unable to pay immediately.
The ISL 2025-26 had been in limbo since the AIFF’s commercial partner FSDL, owned by the Reliance Group, put it on hold last July due to uncertainty over the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between the two parties.
The MRA ended on December 8, 2025, as negotiations fell through.
Subsequently, a tender was issued for the selection of a commercial rights partner under the supervision of a Supreme Court-appointed committee, but to the AIFF’s embarrassment, there were no takers.
(With inputs from Agencies)
