AIFF Awaits AFC Clarity On Continental Slots For ISL Clubs Amidst Game Concerns: Report

The All India Football Federation is waiting for a response from the Asian Football Confederation on the number of continental slots available to Indian Super League clubs despite them not being able to complete the required number of matches this season, with the ISL postponed indefinitely, according to a report in PTI.

India have two spots in the AFC Champions League Two, one in the group stage for ISL Shield winners and another in the playoff round for Super Cup winners.

Each top-division club must also play at least 24 games in a season, across the league and domestic cup combined, to be eligible for participation in the ACL 2.

FC Goa, winners of the Super Cup earlier this year, could be disqualified from the ACL 2 play-off round if they cannot

meet the mandatory game requirement.

Representatives of ISL clubs met the AIFF-appointed committee on Sunday, December 28, two days after the national federation proposed a new ISL structure.

“The response from the AFC may even come tomorrow, so it is in the fitness of things that we know what the view of the AFC is,” a source said while speaking to PTI.

“If the AFC allows less number of matches for the Indian clubs under the current situation, that is the best scenario. But in case the AFC says no, even then the ISL will be held this season (with less number of mandatory matches and hence without any AFC slot) because most of the clubs (and) the AIFF want it to happen,” the source added.

Another source said that the format of the ISL was discussed in Sunday’s meeting and the clubs will respond after two days.

“The format has been proposed and they have asked for two more days to discuss among themselves,” the source said.

Given the situation, this season’s ISL, if it goes ahead, may be staged at just two or three centralised venues rather than the traditional home-and-away format.