All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Monday announced that KPMG India Services LLP has been selected as the consulting firm to manage the process of monetising its commercial rights.
Last week, the AIFF had invited bids from consulting firms to manage the process of awarding its commercial rights by issuing a Request For Quotation (RFQ) in this regard. The last date of submission of the bids was Sunday.
On Monday, the AIFF said it has successfully concluded its RFQ process "to appoint an agency for managing the awarding of rights to monetise the Federation's Commercial Rights for a Limited Term".
"The Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC), comprising three members, was chaired by Hon'ble Mr. Justice L. Nageswara Rao (Former Judge, Supreme Court of India), and included Mr. Kalyan Chaubey, President, AIFF, along with Mr. Kesvaran Murugasu as the Independent Member," the AIFF said in a statement.
"Following the evaluation, KPMG India Services LLP was declared the Successful Bidder under the RFQ." Among the major requirements for the bidding firms were a minimum annual turnover of Rs 100 crore in last five years and prior experience of executing at least five such deals.
The bidder must "be in existence and being in operation for at least five (5) years and having prior experience of managing processes" for the award of commercial rights, the AIFF had said in the RFQ.
"The Bidder should have an average annual turnover/receipt of a minimum of Rs 100 Crores (Indian Rupees One Hundred Crores only) for the last five (5) Financial Years.
"The Bidder must have experience in executing at least five (5) similar assignments from at least three (3) distinct clients over the past five (5) years, which clients may be governments, sports federations and/or leagues in India," it said in the RFQ document under the subhead 'eligibility criteria'.
The AIFF had also made it clear it will not entertain bids from entities that are blacklisted/debarred by the central or state governments, or by any international or national sports federations.
During a hearing before the Supreme Court last month, the AIFF and its current commercial partner FSDL (Football Sports Development Limited), which also organises the top-tier Indian Super League, submitted a consensual resolution to conduct an open, competitive and transparent tender (or equivalent process) for selection of a commercial partner to conduct the ISL in line with global best practices.
The AIFF and the FSDL agreed that the process will be concluded by October 15, 2025, thereby providing certainty to clubs, broadcasters, sponsors and other stakeholders.
Subject to the consent of the AFC, the ISL season can thereafter commence in December, they had told the court.
Crisis surfaced in Indian football after FSDL put the 2025-26 ISL season "on hold" on July 11 due to the uncertainty over the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with the national federation, prompting at least three clubs to either pause first-team operations or suspend player and staff salaries.
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