New Delhi: Indian footballers have had it with the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) crisis. With no hope in sight of playing football in the near future and the inability of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to resolve the long-standing issue, the players have taken matters into their own hands and asked FIFA, the world football governing body, to intervene and “save Indian football”.
Let down by AIFF and the stakeholders in the Indian football landscape, players have appealed directly to FIFA to rescue the beautiful game in India.
In an emotional yet powerful video, Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and several ISL players have urged FIFA to help them amidst the extraordinary crisis in Indian football, which has left hundreds of players unemployed and the ISL season stalled.
Sandhu & Co. explained in detail about the magnitude of the ongoing situation and the scale of the crisis.
“It’s January,” Sandhu said. “We should be on your screens playing competitive football in the ISL. Instead, we’re driven by fear and desperation to say out loud what everyone already knows.”
. @FIFAcom @FIFPRO @FIFPROAsiaOce @FPAI pic.twitter.com/urNqYfmVcH
— Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (@GurpreetGK) January 2, 2026
‘AIFF’s paralysis has left Indian football in crisis’
According to the players, the AIFF is unable to perform its basic duties.
“The Indian football government is no longer able to fulfil its responsibilities,” Sandhu and Sandesh Jhingan stated. “We are staring at permanent paralysis.”
Other senior players, like Lallianzuala Chhangte, asked FIFA to step in and “save Indian football”.
“This is a last-ditch effort,” the players said. “We are calling on FIFA to step in and do whatever it takes to save Indian football.”
With no resolution in sight, the plea was born of desperation.
“This is a humanitarian, sporting and economic crisis. Players, staff, owners and fans deserve clarity. We just want to play football.”
The ISL, India’s top-tier football league, was due to start in October. However, the league is in limbo due to contractual disputes and a lack of clarity over the Master Rights Agreement between the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). The Indian football governing body is searching aggressively for a commercial and broadcast partner, but has yet to find one.