AIFF and ISL Clubs Finalise Club-Led Commercial Model for Indian Super League

On July 8, 2026, during a conference in Delhi, the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) announced that it had entered into an agreement with the Indian Super League (ISL) clubs to establish a club-led commercial model for the league, securing the ISL’s continuation for the 2026–27 season. It was announced that the ISL will have commercial rights, and the administrative control will be retained by AIFF for a more globally common, club-led commercial model. 

According to news reports, the commercial model will be implemented initially for four years, however the clubs can exit the model after two years, after giving the federation due notice. A special purpose vehicle (SPV) will be established to oversee the commercial functioning of the Indian Super League, including attracting sponsors and broadcast partners. According to media reports, the SPV will appoint a professional management team to oversee the league’s commercial and operational functions. The administrative control and oversight will be retained by AIFF, which will also be responsible for refereeing, legality, integrity and anti-doping functions in its capacity as the national governing body for football.

It was announced that the ISL Clubs’ Managing Committee will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to appoint a broadcast partner and secure sponsorships for the league, while the AIFF will write to all 14 clubs seeking confirmation of their participation. News reports also indicate that each participating club will contribute an administrative fee of ₹1.1 crore to the AIFF during the first year of the arrangement, increasing to ₹1.15 crore, ₹1.20 crore, and ₹1.25 crore over the subsequent three years. It has also been stated that the parties reached a consensus on three key issues: independent auditing of the SPV, the AIFF’s entitlement to a 10% share of the SPV’s net profits, and a termination clause.

The 2026-27 season of the Indian Super League will be conducted in a full home-and-away format, with every participating team playing their respective home and away games rather than a truncated format. The league calendar will be planned around the FIFA Men’s International Match Windows and the AFC club competition schedules to facilitate preparations for the Indian national team and participating clubs in continental competitions.