ISL Clubs Appeal to Sports Ministry for Relegation Moratorium and Financial Support
In a significant development for Indian football, all fourteen clubs of the Indian Super League (ISL) have collectively addressed a formal letter to the Sports Ministry, seeking urgent intervention and outlining the critical challenges facing the nation's premier football division. The clubs have specifically requested the suspension of relegation for the upcoming season and for the subsequent three to five seasons, citing unprecedented financial strain and structural transitions within the league.
Request for Relegation Suspension and Stabilization Period
The joint communication emphasizes that the ISL is navigating a phase materially different from previous seasons in terms of commercial certainty, governance frameworks, and financial risk allocation. The clubs argue that the league is currently operating in an environment characterized by structural transition, absence of assured commercial revenues, and significantly heightened financial exposure for participating teams.
In their submission, the clubs have respectfully proposed that the league requires a defined stabilization period of approximately three to five years. This period would be crucial to rebuild commercial confidence, establish predictable operating conditions, allow club owners to recalibrate long-term investment strategies, and restore both sporting and institutional stability.
The clubs have characterized the upcoming season, scheduled to commence on February 14 in a truncated format, as a "virtual force majeure" season. They contend that this season is necessitated by factors beyond their reasonable control, rather than being conducted under standard commercial and sporting assumptions. The letter warns that attaching irreversible sporting and financial consequences, such as relegation, to outcomes arising from these unequal conditions could seriously undermine sporting integrity and investor confidence.
Background of Government Intervention and Constitutional Mandates
This appeal comes after Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya brokered an agreement to start the ISL season on January 6, following a meeting with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and ISL club CEOs. This intervention became necessary after the clubs and the AIFF failed to agree on the competition's start date due to the absence of a commercial partner.
The current AIFF Constitution, which has been ratified by the Supreme Court, mandates promotion and relegation in India's top football division. This structure is also essential for the ISL to comply with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Statutes. Historically, in 2019, the AIFF, clubs, and then-commercial partner Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) had accepted AFC's proposal to implement relegation from the 2024-25 season. The ISL has already seen promotion from the I-League (the second division) champions from the 2023-24 season, with Inter Kashi being the latest team to ascend.
Financial Strain and Stadium Access Challenges
With the departure of FSDL, the league's commercial partner since 2014, clubs are grappling with severe uncertainty regarding revenues, access to stadiums, and broadcast arrangements. Despite these challenges, the clubs have agreed to endure another season of financial losses to prevent further disruption to the football ecosystem. The ISL season is set to begin five months later than originally planned.
The clubs' note highlights that they are currently operating without clarity or certainty on central commercial inflows, broadcast-linked revenues, or league-wide sponsorship support. Simultaneously, they are being required to absorb a larger share of operational costs related to league participation, match operations, logistics, and compliance. This has significantly increased the financial stress on club owners, with participation in the current season being undertaken primarily as a measure to preserve the ecosystem rather than as a commercially viable exercise.
Specific Requests for Government Support
Beyond the relegation freeze, the clubs have requested the government's intervention in several critical areas:
- Facilitating access to stadiums and training facilities for ISL matches on concessional, subsidized, or waived terms for the next three years.
- Extending support, in coordination with State Governments and local authorities, for the provision of essential match-day services such as police, fire, and civic support on concessional or waived terms.
- Ensuring timely availability of venues and supporting infrastructure required for the smooth conduct of matches.
The letter also raises other points aimed at reducing costs in the short and medium term, including:
- Rationalization of club licensing requirements.
- Commercial support through Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
- Waiver of uplink and broadcast-related charges.
The clubs have asked the Sports Ministry to convey their message to the Supreme Court through the Solicitor-General of India, underscoring the gravity of their situation. This collective appeal represents a pivotal moment for Indian football, as stakeholders seek to navigate through a period of significant financial and structural challenges while striving to maintain the integrity and growth of the sport in the country.
