Calcutta: The Fifa letter to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has given a twist to Thursday’s Supreme Court hearing.

Fifa has set AIFF an October 30 deadline to set the house in order and “secure a definitive order from the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India approving the revised AIFF Constitution and ensure full alignment of the AIFF Constitution with the mandatory provisions of the FIFA and AFC Statutes and regulations.”

Fifa also reminded AIFF “of its obligation to manage its affairs independently and without any undue third-party influence, including government bodies, as enshrined in article 14 paragraph 1 (i) and article 19 paragraph 1 of the FIFA Statutes, as well as article 15 paragraph 4 of the AFC Statutes. Failure to adhere to this obligation may result in sanctions outlined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes, including the possibility of suspension.”

If the ban is imposed, India will not be able to participate in any of the AFC tournaments and clubs will also be barred. That will deal a huge blow to the game in the country.

Fifa, in the letter, has voiced concern over AIFF’s failure to finalise the constitution.

“We write to you to express our profound concern at the continued failure to finalise and implement the revised Constitution of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), a matter that has remained under consideration since proceedings before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in 2017. Despite repeated assurances, the absence of a clear and compliant governance framework has now created an untenable vacuum and legal uncertainties at the heart of Indian football,” the letter said.

The Supreme Court, last week, had asked AIFF and its marketing partner Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) to find a solution to the master rights agreement (MRA) impasse and set a hearing date for Thursday. The two parties met in Bengaluru on Monday and AIFF sounded bullish after the meeting.

“Both parties approached the discussions in a constructive and positive spirit and expressed confidence in arriving at a mutually agreed proposal that will ensure the continued development and progress of football in India,” AIFF said in a statement on Monday.

“The joint proposal will be submitted before the Hon’ble Supreme Court on August 28. The parties will make no further comments while matter is sub-judice.”

The stakeholders of Indian football are now looking forward to Thursday’s hearing, hoping there would be a reason to smile and the cloud of uncertainty over Indian football would disappear.

The 2025-26 ISL was put on hold by FSDL in the second week of July due to uncertainty surrounding the renewal of the MRA.

Following a directive from the Supreme Court, the AIFF has been asked not to negotiate new terms of the MRA with FSDL, until a final judgment is delivered in the AIFF draft constitution case.

The MRA was signed during senior NCP league Praful Patel’s reign as AIFF president in 2010 and it expires on December 8 this year. A football season generally starts in mid-August and runs till May. The ISL starts in September and ends in mid-April.

The impasse has put the livelihood of thousands of people at risk, directly or indirectly. Clubs Bengaluru FC, Odisha FC and Chennaiyin FC have either stalled salaries to the players and support staff, revoked contracts or suspended operations.

Amidst the gloom, the Durand Cup, played from July 23 to August 23 across Calcutta, Assam, Jamshedpur, Meghalaya and Manipur, was like a whiff of fresh air.

Despite some ISL clubs pulling out of Asia’s oldest football tournament, spectators thronged the stadiums in droves. More than 60,000 fans packed the Salt Lake Stadium to watch the Emami East Bengal versus Mohun Bagan Siper Giant derby.