Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya facilitated a crucial dialogue between the AIFF and ISL clubs to resolve a commercial dispute. The discussion resulted in the formation of a joint task force.
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stepped in to mediate the ongoing commercial dispute between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Indian Super League (ISL) clubs. During a cordial, hours-long meeting in New Delhi on Monday, June 9, that also included former AIFF president Praful Patel, Mandaviya directed both the federation and the clubs to form a joint task force to draft a structured plan and an amicable business model so that the league can sustain over the coming seasons. The clubs’ suggestion of a model led by them was approved over AIFF’s deal with Genius Sports.
The intervention comes at a critical juncture for Indian football. The ISL has been undergoing a major financial crisis ever since the exit of the Reliance Group-backed FSDL as commercial partner in December 2025. There was danger that the ISL could not have been held at all in the 2025-26 season. The Sports Minister then got involved, and the season did happen but in a truncated single-leg format, that saw East Bengal lift their maiden title.
What Did The Clubs Propose?
The 14 ISL clubs sought a self-regulatory framework. They have submitted a two-year club-led model for the 2026-27 season and the 2027-28 season. They have proposed to acquire the league’s commercial rights for this period, as they have offered to pay the AIFF an aggregate of ₹15 crore per year, which amounts to roughly ₹1.1 crore per club per year. This fee would cover the AIFF’s regulatory costs, including refereeing, anti-doping, and legal support. The clubs argued this interim setup will stabilize the league, generate value, and test a modern governance structure before committing to any long-term deals.
According to sources close to news agency PTI, Mansukh Mandaviya stated that the ISL is a major commercial venture with many livelihoods at stake, and hnce wanted the meeting to come to a solution, rather than a blame game between the clubs and the federation.
Under the AIFF calendar, the ISL next season will be for a full seven months starting from September 1, 2026 to April 11, 2027.
Understanding the Genius Sports Deal
To understand why the clubs are proposing an interim self-regulated model, we have to look at the alternative: the Genius Sports Master Rights Agreement, which the AIFF favoured but the clubs strongly opposed
Earlier this year, the AIFF floated tenders to sell the long-term commercial rights for the ISL to a London-based data and technology firm Genius Sports.
Genius Sports offered a staggering ₹2,129 crore for a 15+5 year cycle, which amounted to a 20-year commitment. This averaged to roughly ₹64 crore per year, with a 5% annual increment built into the contract.
Under this deal, the AIFF would have gotten a guaranteed ₹13 crore right away per year. The rest of the money went toward running the TV broadcasts and the league. The biggest catch was that Genius Sports got to keep all the league’s earnings until it made back every penny it spent. Only after the company got its money back would any leftover profits be shared with the clubs.
Why The Clubs Opposed Genius Sports Deal
The ISL clubs were already spending ₹20-30 crore per year and losing money just to keep their teams running. Hence, the Genius deal was not viable for them.
The ISL only makes about ₹15 crore to ₹20 crore a year from TV rights. That was nowhere near the ₹65 crore Genius would have needed to make its money back
