The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has come under sharp scrutiny after its ISL commercial tender attracted zero bids, prompting the Supreme Court-appointed panel led by Justice (Retd.) L Nageswara Rao to call for a complete overhaul of the league’s commercial structure.
The report highlighted why bidders stayed away: minimal representation for commercial partners on the AIFF governing council, an unrealistically high minimum guaranteed payment, limited decision-making powers, and tight restrictions on managing or sub-licensing crucial broadcasting rights.
Rao recommended reducing or restructuring the minimum payment to ease financial pressure while keeping AIFF revenues sustainable. He further urged equal representation for commercial partners, arguing that no bidder would assume major financial and operational risks without real influence.
The current Request for Proposals offered bidders just one seat out of six on the council, with veto power resting with the AIFF — a structure described as a major red flag.
With the existing FSDL agreement expiring on December 8 and some clubs already pausing operations, the panel stressed urgent reforms to revive the ISL’s commercial future.
