Supreme Court Directs AIFF To Conduct ISL 2025-26; Appoints Justice Nageswara Rao To Oversee Selection Of Commercial Partner

The Supreme Court recently accepted a proposal offered by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its commercial partner for the football season 2025-26 and ordered the AIFF to take steps for timely commencement of the football competitions under its control.

"we direct AIFF to take such measures as may be necessary for timely commencement of football calendar and to maintain competitive continuity for the 2025-2026 season with respect to Super Cup and other competitions under its control", said a bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi.

Resolving an embargo put in place by it, which led to some uncertainties after introduction of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, the Court directed the AIFF to issue tenders inviting bids for open, competitive and transparent process for selection of its commercial partner to conduct Indian Super League.

In this regard, it also appointed former judge-Justice L Nageswara Rao to ensure that a competent, reputed and efficient firm is identified as a commercial partner to conduct ISL, in line with global best practices.

To recap, the Court had been monitoring AIFF's management, sanction and conduct of national level football tournaments and leagues by the AIFF. After examining a draft constitution for the Federation, it reserved the case for judgment. While doing so, it directed AIFF not to enter into any binding contracts till the judgment was pronounced.

However, in the meantime, the National Sports Governance Act 2025 was brought in and certain uncertainties arose about the upcoming seasons of various football leagues, including the top-tiered Indian Super League. "AIFF and its commercial contractual partner, the Football Sports Development Agreement ('FSDL') could not decide the terms on which the Indian Super League (ISL) could be conducted and therefore the ISL and many other leagues appear to have been virtually suspended."

As such, the Court re-listed the matter for hearing and called on AIFF and FSDL to come up with an arrangement for the upcoming leagues. When such a proposal was placed before it, the Court found a general agreement at the Bar that it was necessary for commencement of the football calendar and to maintain competitive continuity. In this backdrop, the Court passed the above order.

Insofar as it was apprised that the draft Constitution examined by the Court was substantially in consonance with the new Act, and some counsels expressed concerns about autonomy, the Court said that it will hear the submissions before finalizing its decision on the draft Constitution.

Appearance: Senior Advocates Ranjit Kumar, Raghenth Basant, Neeraj Kishan Kaul, Ritin Rai, Swarupama Chaturvedi and Dr. Menaka Guruswamy; Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and ASG KM Nataraj

Case Title: ALL INDIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION VERSUS RAHUL MEHRA AND ORS., SLP(C) Nos. 30748-30749 of 2017

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