In a dramatic turn of events, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Union Sports Ministry successfully pressured all fourteen top-tier clubs to commit to the upcoming season of the Indian Super League (ISL). The decision was finalized during a high-pressure joint meeting held in the national capital on Tuesday, ensuring the league's commencement on February 14, 2024.
A Meeting of Ultimatums
Club officials, summoned at short notice via phone calls late Monday night by AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan, arrived expecting to discuss a proposal. Instead, they were presented with a firm deadline. The authorities insisted that a decision had to be made immediately, leaving no room for the clubs to consult their owners or deliberate on the financial details. "We had no choice to decide whether the (short-term) proposal makes sense," revealed one club official, who had to hurriedly relay the developments to the club owner.
Despite the pressure, several clubs were quick to confirm their participation. Jamshedpur FC led the way with an email confirmation, followed by Punjab FC, East Bengal, NorthEast United, Mohammedan Sporting, and Inter Kashi. They were later joined by Delhi SC, Bengaluru FC, and Mohun Bagan Super Giant. However, five franchises—Kerala Blasters, Chennaiyin FC, Mumbai City, FC Goa, and Odisha FC—agreed only after expressing their reluctance and stating they needed more time for internal discussions.
New Format and Financial Framework
The clubs were also surprised by a last-minute change in the league's format. While most stakeholders favored a single-leg centralized model, the AIFF proposed a single leg home and away structure for this season. This format, estimated to cost Rs 24.3 crore, was presented as a more economical alternative to the centralized version, which would have cost Rs 38 crore.
The revamped ISL will feature 91 matches, with each of the 14 teams playing every other team once. Each club must pay a franchise fee of Rs 1 crore. AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey detailed the financial arrangement, stating a Rs 25 crore central pool has been created for conducting the ISL. The funding breakdown includes 10% from AIFF, 50% from clubs, and 10% from legacy partners. The remaining 30%, which was to come from a commercial partner, will be covered by the AIFF for this season due to the absence of a sponsor.
I-League to Run Concurrently
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who made the official announcement alongside AIFF's Kalyan Chaubey, also confirmed that the I-League would be held around the same time with all its 11 participating clubs. "The leagues will finally happen," Mandaviya declared, putting an end to the uncertainty that had plagued Indian football.
While the AIFF constitution mandates promotion and relegation for the top league, the federation is likely to seek a one-year relaxation from the Supreme Court given the truncated nature of this season. This urgent resolution, brokered by the government and federation, has cleared the path for Indian football's premier competition to kick off, albeit under compressed and contentious circumstances.
