Call it damage control or posturing, but one thing is clear: the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is scrambling to look busy rather than actually fixing the rot. After years of neglecting the foundation of the Beautiful Game, the federation has suddenly released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Indian Super League’s (ISL) commercial rights — a move positioned as “reform”, but seen by many as a desperate attempt to save face.
The current 15-year Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), a Reliance-backed venture, ends this December. Signed in 2010 with grand promises of revolutionising Indian football, it has largely turned into yet another hollow slogan. Grassroots football remains starved, infrastructure remains skeletal and the national team continues to float aimlessly. FSDL pulling out, without explanation, speaks volumes about the fractured relationship and failed vision.
Yet, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey says this is a step forward, insisting they will carry the game ahead. But his words come too late, and sound too rehearsed. The timing of the RFP reeks of panic, especially after 10 ISL clubs jointly wrote to the AIFF, accusing it of opacity and indifference. The federation only moved after being cornered. Transparency wasn’t a principle, it was a reaction to embarrassment.
The mess doesn’t stop there. Despite the Supreme Court mandating that the tender process be completed by October 15, the federation missed the deadline without explanation. The uncertainty threw the entire football ecosystem into disarray, affecting league operations, club planning and even national team scheduling. Clubs participating in the Super Cup in Goa proceeded in good faith, signing contracts, booking venues, hiring staff, only to find themselves in administrative limbo.
Now the AIFF’s grand blueprint proposes a 15-year deal where the winning bidder will cough up Rs 37.5 crore per year or 5 per cent of gross revenue, whichever is higher. KPMG India will oversee the bidding with eligibility tied to a minimum net worth of Rs 250 crore. Bids open on November 5 and queries are open until October 21. All very neat on paper. But Indian football has long suffered not from lack of paperwork, but lack of will.
The bigger question is, who will steer this ship? Because right now, it looks less like a ship and more like a derelict vessel drifting without a compass. Is Indian football being rescued, or merely repackaged for the next commercial partner?
Players and club owners are losing faith. Fans already have. If AIFF is serious about “saving” football, it must first acknowledge who broke it. No more PR exercises. No more fire-fighting. No more passing the buck. Will football in India finally get leadership or will this once again be another exercise in prolonging decay? Right now, it feels less like reviving a sport and more like flogging a dead horse.
Also read: 10 ISL clubs flay AIFF, allege breach of trust
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