Kolkata: With the Durand Cup wrapped up, Indian football now enters a phase of uncertainty, as players, clubs, and officials wait for clarity on the upcoming season. The Supreme Court’s recent nod for discussions between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its commercial partner, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), has raised hopes that Monday’s meeting in Bengaluru will bring answers.
At present, only Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa—both preparing for the Asian Champions League 2 main round—along with players called up for India duty, are assured of football action. For the rest, the suspension of club activities has created a standstill. While some Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have delayed or suspended salaries, Mohun Bagan announced the signing of defender Mehtab Singh from Mumbai City FC, underlining the contrasting fortunes.
For others, it is effectively still the off-season—or an enforced break—barely a month after pre-seasons began. “I am out of work after Saturday,” said an operations official associated with ISL, reflecting the growing uncertainty.
The AIFF-FSDL talks will take place ahead of the next Supreme Court hearing scheduled for Thursday. Announcing start dates for the ISL and Super Cup could be the first major step towards reassuring stakeholders. “Do that, and clubs will start preparations for the 2025–26 season,” said the CEO of one ISL club, requesting anonymity.
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey has suggested starting the season with the Super Cup, which could potentially be slotted between India’s Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore in October and their away match against Bangladesh on November 18. However, this plan remains on hold, as FSDL informed clubs in a July 11 letter that the ISL cannot commence until “clarity emerges on the contractual structure beyond the end of the current MRA term.”
Clubs, meanwhile, remain hesitant. “We don’t want to play the Super Cup unless we know when ISL will start. Otherwise, it means calling players and staff for one tournament and sending them back immediately after,” said another club official.
For now, Indian football remains in limbo, awaiting a decision that could shape the immediate future of the domestic game.