New Delhi: Indian Super League clubs on Thursday requested Amicus Curiae to seek the Supreme Court’s permission to begin processes related to organisation of leagues, apart from speedy pronouncement of judgement to set in motion the football calendar that has come to a “standstill across the pyramid”.
Following a Court directive on April 30, the All India Football Federation’s contract renewal negotiations with marketing partners (FSDL) were halted, leading to the ISL, scheduled to run from September to April, getting postponed indefinitely.
Multiple clubs subsequently suspended their first-team operations and unilaterally terminated contracts, which world players union FIFPRO deemed unlawful and sought attention of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.
Consequences of the impasse have been manifold, including impact on club’s revenues, livelihoods, preparations of the national team and regulatory risks.
Last Monday, Amicus Curiae had pointed out the deadlock arising from the injunction and urged the Court to provide fresh directives for the sake of livelihood of all associated with the ecosystem.
The Court set a Friday date to hear the matter again, before which 11 ISL clubs, excluding Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, have notified Gopal Sankarnarayanan and Samar Bansal of the scale of the current deadlock, with the master rights agreement between the AIFF and FSDL ending on December 8.
“As matters stand, there is no certainty beyond 8 December 2025, when the current commercial partner demits its term. At that point in the calendar, ordinarily less than a quarter of the season would have been completed, leaving the league and, by extension, the wider pyramid in complete limbo,” the clubs wrote.
“For the entire footballing system, it is also crucial that a long-term, stable solution is arrived at urgently. Clubs have multi-year sponsorships and contractual commitments, and several sponsors have already withdrawn due to the prevailing uncertainty.
“No commercial partner can be expected to invest or commit resources under an interim arrangement or for the short term, given the sheer scale and complexity of organizing a tournament like the ISL and securing long-term broadcast and sponsorship partnerships.
“Therefore, it is imperative that the current proceedings be expedited to provide the necessary certainty for the league and the wider football pyramid to function.”
What’s at stake?
The clubs highlighted their “enormous planning” and organisation since 2014, when the ISL began, and the need for an urgent judgement, as they have invested “hundreds of crores of rupees” into youth academies, training facilities, stadium upgrades, professional squads for a “robust” footballing structure.
“Over the past 11 years, under delegation from the AIFF, FSDL has mobilised and facilitated commercial revenues exceeding Rs 2,000 crores from broadcasting and sponsorships, enabling the ISL to be broadcast globally and reach a cumulative audience of millions of viewers annually,” the clubs said.
“The ISL now sustains the majority of professional football players in India, providing more than 400 full-time player contracts annually, besides developmental pathways for youth and grassroots players.”
A league of this calibre can’t be assembled at the last minute and requires long-term buy-in to obtain the best possible broadcast agreements, sponsorship deals. Player registrations and logistical arrangements demand at least six–eight weeks of advance planning before every season, the clubs said.
“Therefore, the current delay has already placed us in a situation where any further delays may cause irreparable harm to the ecosystem and there is an urgent need for certainty in the greater interest of the entire football ecosystem, including clubs (in the entire pyramid of Indian Football), players, staff, and all other stakeholders,” they wrote.
Plea for urgency
Considering the huge stakes involved, the clubs urged Amicus Curiae to request for a speedy judgement from the Supreme Court.
“…any consequential directions flowing from the judgment be directed to be completed in a time-bound (15–30 days), to restore certainty at the earliest to the ecosystem,” the clubs said.
“In the event that the present proceedings are to go on beyond August 22, 2025, the processes related to conducting the leagues and any ancillary operations may be allowed and expedited so that a long-term constructive solution for all parties may be obtained at the earliest.
“Given the matter is already listed before the Hon’ble Court on 22nd August 2025, we most humbly request that our concerns be orally apprised to the Hon’ble Bench on that date itself, so that the immediacy and gravity of the crisis is not overlooked.”
In a meeting with clubs, the AIFF had agreed to approach the Court on Aug 18 but then backtracked, leading to a collapse of confidence, paving the way for Amicus Curiae to mention the matter and obtain a fresh date (Aug 22) of hearing.