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New Delhi: Clubs came up with different suggestions on how to conduct the stalled 2025-26 Indian Super League at a meeting with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday.

While a section of clubs want the tournament’s majority ownership, similar to top European leagues, and find a credible commercial partner and sponsors, some others want control to be in the hands of the All India Football Federation.

A unified league of around 20 clubs from ISL and I-League – divided into two conferences to reduce travelling and limit expenses – was also proposed, with particular emphasis on promotion and relegation.

Ownership of the league and operational control have been some of the major sticking points for prospective bidding companies, including AIFF’s existing commercial partner Reliance subsidiary FSDL, to stay away from placing a bid.

Relinquishing ownership after a loss of Rs 2500 crore is inconceivable, it was mentioned.

In his bid evaluation report, Justice LN Rao mentioned it, which Supreme Court directed the Sports ministry to take note of.

Bleeding money from all corners, all clubs want the league to begin ‘as soon as possible’, but it is this absence of consensus among themselves, after a failed tender process that has put the entire ecosystem of the sport in jeopardy, which Mandaviya kept in mind while reiterating his stance of ensuring that the league is held this season.

On being briefed on what led to the current standstill, Mandaviya promised to find a way past it and told clubs to begin preparations though no timeline was immediately forthcoming on the way forward.

The AIFF found no bidders for ISL’s commercial rights. Photo: ISL Media

As AIFF’s deal with FSDL runs out on December 8, time in in short supply, as beyond it, from the next Monday clubs might mull termination of contracts using ‘force majeure’ clause even as the ministry puts together a plan for the Supreme Court to approve.

“Chances are 50-50,” a club official told News9 Sports, when asked which proposal could find favour with the ministry after seeking two weeks from the Court to work out a solution.

Whatever the ministry decides, immediate relief depends on the Court’s special bench of Justices PS Narasimha and J Bagchi, who involved the Union government to tackle the contractual obstacle on terms and conditions set by them while framing AIFF’s constitution.

“Now, the ministry would have to figure out a way between clubs, AIFF and commercial partners,” a person who attended the meeting at in New Delhi observed.

As the Union government encourages private investment in sports, particularly with the country now having hosting rights of 2030 Commonwealth Games, and harbours ambitions of staging the Olympics in 2036, how the ministry finds a balance of ensuring money for the league’s operation while retaining interest of private entities for a long-term deal later could prove to be the key that unlocks the deadlock.

Decrease in value of product & viewership

Rao had also pointed out as an asking price of Rs 37.5 crore, along with other subsidiary costs, apart from less representation in governing council as turn-offs for interested companies.

Considering inflation in the last 15 years from the time the deal was signed in 2010 on a Rs 50 crore per year agreement, the amount at which it has been pegged now is considerably lower than what is should be, the AIFF highlighted, keeping in mind its task of organisation of over 1600 matches across 20 tournaments.

The ministry had also requested broadcasters and transaction adviser KPMG to attend the meetings and it was mentioned that not only has ISL’s value not increased as anticipated n 10 years since inception but viewership has reduced by one-fourth from its initial years in 2014 and 2015.

Presence of only ‘buying clubs’ in a corporate-oriented league and lack of ‘selling clubs’ in a closed environment with little interest in youth development was one of the principal factors for the league’s doom, it was emphasized while stressing on the need to have one commercial partner for both ISL and I-League to enable ‘integration’.

“Different concepts proposed, now the ministry will study and come up with a solution. At least escalation of the matter has happened now that the minister heard the issues in person,” was how one person privy to the development summarised the day’s events.

Neither the ministry nor AIFF issued a statement on the multiple meetings that were held at Sports Authority of India’s headquarters.