The Supreme Court on Tuesday released a formal order clearing the decks for the conduct of the 2025-2026 football season in the country.
The order was passed based on an agreement reached between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL).
The order, passed by a bench of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, said: “…We direct AIFF to take such measures as may be necessary for timely commencement of football calendar and to maintain competitive continuity for the 2025-2026 season with respect to the Super Cup and other competitions under its control.
“The AIFF shall also issue necessary tenders inviting bids for open, competitive and transparent process for selection of its commercial partner to conduct Indian Super League. For this purpose, we have requested and upon his agreement, appoint Justice L. Nageswara Rao, former Judge of this Court to ensure that the selection process enures in identifying a competent, reputed and an efficient firm as a commercial partner to conduct ISL, in line with global best practices.”
The bench also recorded the terms of agreement between the AIFF and the FSDL.
The AIFF has agreed 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” which will be “concluded by 15 October 2025...”
FSDL, for its part, has agreed to “waive its contractual Right of First Negotiation and Right to Match under the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) dated 08 December 2010 and issue a No Objection Certificate to AIFF for the conduct of an open, competitive and transparent tender...”
FSDL confirmed that it “shall not object to the exercise of rights in relation to the ISL by any new rights holder (if any) during the subsistence of the MRA.”
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said: “Players, staff and their families were having a difficult time after some clubs suspended salaries. This order is the first step to ending their worries and getting the season started.”
