AIFF To Present ISL Crisis To Supreme Court On Monday
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) will bring the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) crisis before the Supreme Court on Monday. The dispute centers around the delayed signing of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which has led clubs to withhold salaries for players and staff.
The apex court has already reserved its judgement on the draft AIFF constitution, with the hearing scheduled for Monday. Hundreds of Indian and foreign footballers now face uncertainty over the upcoming 2025–26 ISL season.
AIFF confirmed on social media that legal representatives of the federation and ISL clubs held discussions on Thursday, August 14, 2025. “All parties have agreed that the concerns of ISL clubs regarding the delay in starting the 2025–26 season and the hardships faced by players and stakeholders will be conveyed to the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” AIFF stated.
An AIFF source added that they are prepared to file a written application if requested by the court, noting that the federation intends to highlight the plight of players, clubs, and Indian football.
The crisis escalated after FSDL paused the league on July 11, citing uncertainty over the MRA renewal, originally signed in 2010. Following this, at least three clubs suspended player and staff salaries or paused first-team operations.
Earlier, 11 ISL clubs urged AIFF to present the issue to the Supreme Court, warning that they would seek judicial intervention independently if the federation failed to act. The Super Cup, proposed by AIFF in September, was suggested to provide competitive matches amid the uncertainty.
