The Supreme Court of India, on Thursday, reserved its verdict concerning the All India Football Federation (AIFF) constitution but once more, including that it’ll cross the ultimate judgement on September 1 (Monday).
The AIFF constitution case has been within the apex court docket since 2017, when the SC directed formulation of a brand new constitution, one which was submitted by former Justice (Retd.) L. Nageswara Rao in 2023. But a ultimate choice on the constitution has been pending since.
‘Potential suspension’
The FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have written to AIFF, threatening a possible suspension if its constitution shouldn’t be formally ratified by October 30.
On Thursday, the SC additionally listened to the joint proposal of the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) about the way forward for the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) — one thing it had directed within the case’s earlier listening to final Friday.
“To ensure the timely commencement of the football calendar and to maintain competitive continuity, it has been agreed that the 2025-26 season may begin with the Super Cup or another domestic competition, directly under AIFF’s control after an adequate pre-season period,” the joint assertion learn.
The AIFF had beforehand mentioned that the Super Cup will start in September, one thing that the 2 events additionally concurred with.
Secondly, the AIFF — mutually with FSDL — determined that ‘it will conduct an open, competitive and transparent tender or equivalent process for selection of a commercial partner to conduct the ISL in line with the global best practices by October 15.
“Such a process will be conducted in conformity with the National Sports Development Code 2011, the National Sports Governance Act 2025, the AIFF Constitution and the applicable FIFA and Asian Football Confederation regulations.”
“Subject to the consent of the AFC, the new league season can thereafter commence by December 2025.”
FSDL’s stance
According to the letter, signed by each events, the FSDL, on its half, has assented to waiving its contractual proper of first negotiation and proper to match beneath the MRA dated December 8 2010, and difficulty a No Objection Certificate to the AIFF to conduct an open, aggressive and clear tender or equal course of.
It additionally confirmed that it’ll not object to the train of the rights in relation to the ISL by any new rights holder, if any, in the course of the tenure of the MRA.
At the financial finish, the FSDL mentioned that it has “duly discharged the July-September quarterly rights of ₹12.5 crore under the MRA on August 18 and has agreed to advance the final tranche of the rights fee of ₹12.5 crore (October to December), if required by AIFF.”
