FanCode Emerges Victorious in ISL 2025-26 Broadcast Rights Battle
In a significant development for Indian football, the broadcast rights for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 season have been awarded to FanCode. The digital sports platform secured the coveted rights after its technical and commercial bids outperformed six other competitors in a rigorous selection process conducted by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Competitive Bidding Process and Key Players
The AIFF opened the bids on Monday, following the release of the Request for Proposal (RFP) tender on January 18. FanCode had expressed interest in Package A, which encompasses world feed production, linear television broadcast, and digital streaming for all 91 matches of the league season. This marks a notable shift from the previous broadcast arrangement, which was valued at approximately Rs 275 crore per season, translating to about Rs 1.68 crore per match.
The competitive landscape included several prominent entities. Besides FanCode, the other parties that participated in the bidding process were UK-based Two Circles, ABP Network, JioStar, Monarch with PR Solutions, Sportzworks, and Kaleidoscope (KPS Studios). Interestingly, while Sony Sports and Zee Sports attended the pre-bid meeting, they ultimately decided not to submit final bids.
Technical and Commercial Evaluation Criteria
The AIFF employed a meticulous two-stage evaluation process to determine the winner. After two rounds of clarifications, final submissions were received before the February 1 deadline. The federation reached its conclusion based on a combination of technical and commercial bids, with a specific scoring formula in place.
Technical bids were assessed on multiple parameters, including broadcast and production experience, infrastructure and camera capabilities, platform reach, and prior experience in similar ventures. Following this evaluation, the process advanced to the commercial bids.
As per the final scoring mechanism, bidders were adjudicated using a 70:30 weightage formula. This meant that 70% of the score was allocated to technical know-how and capabilities, while the remaining 30% was based on financial metrics. This balanced approach ensured that both quality and commercial viability were considered in the decision-making process.
Production Rights and Broadcast Packages
In a parallel development, KPS Studios has been awarded the production rights for the world feed. This complements FanCode's acquisition of the broadcast rights, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the league.
The ISL media rights were divided into several distinct packages, each catering to different aspects of broadcast and production:
- Package A - World Feed production + linear TV broadcast + digital streaming
- Package B - Linear TV broadcast + digital broadcast
- Package C - Linear TV broadcast only
- Package D - Digital broadcast only
- Package E - World Feed production only
The distribution of bids across these packages was as follows:
- FanCode (Package A, B, D)
- JioStar (Package D)
- Sportzworkz (Package E)
- KPS Studios (Package E)
- ABP Network (Package D, E)
- Monarch with PR Solutions (Package D, E)
- Two Circles (Package C, D, E)
Upcoming Season Schedule and Flexibility
The current tentative schedule for the truncated ISL season indicates a start date of February 14, featuring a double-header between Mohun Bagan SG vs Kerala Blasters and FC Goa vs Inter Kashi. However, it is important to note that the fixture list remains subject to potential changes based on the broadcaster's requirements and operational considerations.
This new broadcast arrangement signals an exciting phase for Indian football, with FanCode poised to bring innovative coverage to fans across the nation. The league continues to evolve, attracting significant interest from media companies and enhancing its profile in the competitive sports broadcasting landscape.
