New Delhi: All India Football Federation (AIFF), which earlier proposed to put a blanket ban on I-League players from playing in other domestic tournaments, is likely to take a step backward on the issue.

Speaking to The Telegraph on Friday, AIFF president Priya Ranjan Das Munshi said that the federation might pick up 30 top national level players, who would not be allowed to play in tournaments except I-League and the Federation Cup.

“It was a good proposal for the betterment of the game in the country but cannot be implemented hastily,” he said. “We also have to consider the fact that most clubs are not in position to run two teams simultaneously. It would be too much of a financial burden on them.”

A meeting between the federation, clubs and state association representatives on this issue will be held later this month in Delhi. “Apart from these top 30 players, the federation might keep its rights reserved to add another 10 players of its choice to the list whenever necessary,” Das Munshi said. “In the meeting, I am going to make a suggestion like this. Now it is for the clubs to consider whether to accept it or not.”

The AFC Challenge Cup, Das Munshi said, might be held in Delhi or Hyderabad. “The AFC team is coming on January 19 to inspect the venues. Bob (Houghton) wants it in Delhi but the infrastructural part will also have to taken into consideration.”

The AIFF president said that he was in touch with the Ministry of Defence in Delhi to initiate some developmental work at the grounds of the top three clubs in Calcutta.