New Delhi: The All India Football Federation has informed Indian Super League clubs of agreeing on formation of a new committee for governance of the top-tier competition should they insist on it.
On Friday, 13 of the 14 clubs had stated their dissatisfaction on AIFF‘s approach for ISL’s long-term commercial and governance framework, and proposed a new “working committee” for a united way forward when they were requested to nominate representatives to its governing council, having already formed a managing committee earlier.
Owners of SC Delhi (Bhavesh Jindal), Kerala Blasters (Nikhil Nimmagadda) and Odisha FC (Rohan Sharma) and CEOs/directors of FC Goa (Ravi Puskur), Chennaiyin FC (Ekansh Gupta,) Bengaluru FC (Darren Caldeira), SC Delhi (Dhruv Sood) and Mohun Bagan Super Giant (Vinay Chopra) would be part of the proposed working group.
In response to that letter, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey on Monday told the clubs that the governing council and the managing committee were meant to act as a forum for “informed dialogue and collective decision-making”.
“The tender process for appointing a long-term commercial rights partner for the ISL and the Federation Cup has been conducted transparently, and in compliance with the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, in the previous instance,” Chaubey wrote.
AIFF has been persuasive for formation of these committees since December 2025 and have kept open channels of communication for “consultation and coordination” on matters and assured of providing whatever added information clubs may require.
“However, should you wish to propose the formation of any additional committees, the AIFF, welcomes your suggestions,” Chaubey said, after the federation arranged for a meeting between one of the two bidders (Genius Sports) and the clubs on their insistence on April 23 .
‘Show me the money’
Data and analytics firm Genius has proposed around Rs 64 crore for first year and approx Rs 2129 crore over a 20-year (15+5) period, including a five percent increment every year.
OTT streaming platform Fancode has offered Rs 36 crore in the first year and around Rs 1190 crore for 20 years inclusive of a five percent increment per year.
AIFF would receive 20 percent of those amounts as takeaway money around Rs 12.8 crore from Genius for the first year and Rs 7.2 crore from Fancode for the same period.
The two companies plan to use the remaining amounts for operation of the league and production of matches.
Since they would cumulatively hold 60 percent of the league’s share, clubs are keen to ask Genuis about its projection of media rights and how much they would receive from it.
“As per our understanding, AIFF will be secured of at least Rs 27 crore (including Rs 1 crore participation fee from a minimum of 14 clubs) from the first year but how much will clubs get?” a club official told News9 Sports.
“After spending so much over the years, clubs would seek a guaranteed inflow of funds from the revenue pool, hopefully we will have all our queries answered on Thursday.”