AIFF misses Oct 15 date, issues new tender terms

CHENNAI: days after its senior men’s national football team failed to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) came under scanner once again due to the lack of action over finding a new partner to run the already delayed 2025-26 Indian Super League (ISL).

Ten ISL clubs on Thursday had written a strongly-worded letter to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey alleging a breach of trust over the lack of action in commencing the tender process to find a new commercial partner. As submitted to the Supreme Court, the AIFF said that it would conduct an open, fair and transparent tender process, which was set to be done by Wednesday, October 15.

Hours after the letter written by clubs, the AIFF released its Request for Proposals to monetise its commercial rights late on Thursday.

It is understood that during the executive committee meeting, there were discussions on base annual turnover of a company to be a part of a technical bid — it ranged from Rs 100 crore a year to Rs 500 crore a year. In the documents accessed by this daily, the AIFF seeks a minimum guaranteed payment of Rs 37.5 crore a year or 5 per cent of gross revenue, whichever is higher between the two. The term for the rights is for 15 years, starting December 10 2025.

This is lesser than what they collected from Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), its previous partner (Rs 50 crore).

Promotion and relegation from 2026

The tender document also enlisted details about promotion and relegation and VAR. 14 teams will participating, in double round-robin format summing up to 189 matches a season. No franchisee fee will be levied from 2025-2026 season, either on the founding or non-founding participating teams. Promotion and relegation will be applicable from the said season, with one team relegating to the I-League and one promoting to the ISL. Then the number of teams will be at 12. The document, then states that "the Governing Council, shall reserve the right to induct new Participating Teams, hence taking the total number of Participating Teams to more than 12."

Relegated teams will be supported through parachute payments as per time spent in the competiton, — For teams spending three or more years according to the document, 30-40 per cent of the applicable central revenue pool share. This will be done on a annual or a bi-annual basis.

The salary cap on players will remain the same from 2024-25 at Rs 18 crores. "AIFF may from time to time choose to tier the Participating Players in specified salary bands with a maximum specified.

"The AIFF shall work with the Company(commercial partner), to design squad sizes and grades of players, in order for participating teams to create competitive outfits in the salary cap," the document stated.

Finally, the introduction of Football video support system will be introduced from the 2025-26 season for a minimum of five years. Post mutual discussion, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) may be mandated by the AIFF from the sixth year of agreement (2030-31 season).

The football video support system, according to global football governing body FIFA is the system used in the possible event of a clear and obvious error in relation to a goal, penalty direct red cards or a mistaken identity.

The video support can be used once the referee takes his decision. The team's head coach gets to make a review request.

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