Why ISL Nearly Died: The AIFF–FSDL Rights Fight Explained

The ISL 2025-26 season was put 'on hold' in July 2025 and only kicked off on 14 February 2026.

The trigger was the expiry of the 15-year AIFF–FSDL Master Rights Agreement on 8 December 2025.

The Supreme Court froze any renewal until it ruled on the AIFF's contested constitution.

FIFA piled on pressure with a 30 October deadline for the AIFF to fix its rulebook.

The season finally ran as a single-leg, 91-match event with 14 clubs, ending 21 May 2026.

Read the full story on GeneralNews Read full article →