AIFF Forms Supreme Court-Mandated Committee For New Commercial Partner

Last Updated:September 07, 2025, 15:23 IST

AIFF forms a committee led by Justice L. Nageswara Rao to oversee the commercial partner tender, enabling ISL resumption after FSDL paused operations amid contract uncertainty.

AIFF president Shri Kalyan Chaubey (PTI)

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has constituted a three-member committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice L. Nageswara Rao, to oversee the tender process for selecting its new commercial partner. The move comes in compliance with a Supreme Court directive issued on September 2, in the backdrop of a pending case relating to the federation’s constitution.

This order has also cleared the way for the resumption of the Indian Super League (ISL), which had been on hold since July 11 after organisers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) paused operations over uncertainty regarding its long-term agreement with the AIFF.

The Committee and Its Mandate

According to the AIFF’s statement on Sunday, the Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) will be chaired by Justice Rao and joined by Kesavaran Murugasu, a member of the Asian Football Confederation’s Audit and Compliance Committee, along with AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey.

The Supreme Court has also permitted Justice Rao to appoint up to two professionals to assist him in evaluating bids. The AIFF’s Task Force on the Master Rights Agreement (MRA), set up earlier this year, will continue in parallel as the Tender Committee, responsible for assessing the recommendations of professional services firms involved in the process.

A Crisis in Indian Football

The situation stems from the impending expiry of the 15-year MRA between AIFF and FSDL, signed in December 2010 and due to lapse this December. FSDL, which has been paying the federation ₹50 crore annually, suspended the 2025–26 ISL season in July, citing uncertainty over the renewal. The move had immediate consequences, with at least three ISL clubs freezing operations or delaying player and staff payments.

In last month’s Supreme Court hearing, both the AIFF and FSDL agreed to conduct an open and transparent tender process, aligned with international best practices, by October 15, 2025. This timeline is designed to provide stability for clubs, broadcasters, and sponsors, with the ISL season expected to kick off in December, pending AFC approval.

FSDL’s Concessions

In a significant step, FSDL agreed to waive its contractual Right of First Negotiation and Right to Match under the current MRA. It also pledged to issue a No Objection Certificate to facilitate a fair bidding process and confirmed it would not challenge the rights of any new partner.

Moreover, FSDL has already cleared its July–September installment of ₹12.5 crore and has committed to advancing the final tranche (October–December) if required, ensuring the AIFF’s financial stability during the transition.

(with PTI inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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