As of August 27, 2025, Indian football stands at a critical crossroads. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have jointly issued a stern warning to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), demanding the resolution of its long-standing governance crisis and the adoption of a revised constitution by October 30. Failure to meet this deadline, the joint letter cautions, could result in India facing another global football suspension—echoing a disruptive episode that shook the nation’s football ecosystem just three years prior.
The warning, signed by Elkhan Mammadov (FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer) and Vahid Kardany (AFC’s Deputy General Secretary for Member Associations), centers on the AIFF’s prolonged failure to finalize and implement a revised constitution. This issue has lingered since 2017, when it first came before India’s Supreme Court. “Despite repeated assurances, the absence of a clear and compliant governance framework has created an untenable vacuum and legal uncertainties at the heart of Indian football,” the letter emphasizes. Compounding the pressure, India’s newly enacted National Sports Governance Act now mandates the AIFF’s constitution to align with both domestic legislation and the mandatory rules of FIFA and AFC—a dual obligation the federation must urgently fulfill.
A Troubling Echo of 2022: The Specter of Third-Party Influence
This is not the first time India has faced the threat of FIFA sanctions. In August 2022, FIFA suspended India after the Supreme Court appointed a committee of administrators to run the AIFF’s daily operations—an act deemed “third-party interference” under FIFA statutes. The ban was lifted just 10 days later following government intervention, which cleared the way for elections that installed Kalyan Chaubey as AIFF president.
Today, the risk of suspension looms again, with FIFA and AFC explicitly reminding the AIFF of its duty to operate independently. “The AIFF must manage its affairs without undue third-party influence, including from government bodies,” the letter states, citing Article 14 (Paragraph 1i) and Article 19 (Paragraph 1) of FIFA’s Statutes, as well as Article 15 (Paragraph 4) of AFC’s Statutes. Crucially, the letter warns that even if the AIFF is not directly at fault, third-party interference could still trigger sanctions under Article 14 (Paragraph 3) of FIFA’s Statutes and Article 10 (Paragraphs 1t and 2) of AFC’s Statutes. A suspension would strip the AIFF of all its rights as a FIFA and AFC member, halting participation in international competitions and cutting off critical support.
Crisis Spills Into Domestic Football: ISL 2025–26 Season in Jeopardy
The AIFF’s governance deadlock has already destabilized India’s top domestic league, the Indian Super League (ISL). In April 2025, the Supreme Court froze negotiations between the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL)—the commercial partner that operates the ISL—over the renewal of their Master Rights Agreement (MRA). With the current MRA set to expire on December 8, 2025, the FSDL has formally put the ISL 2025–26 season on hold, as it lacks the legal authority to organize the league beyond that date.
The impasse has sent ripples through India’s football ecosystem: clubs and players are in the dark about future competition calendars, commercial partnerships post-December 2025 remain unconfirmed, and core functions like youth development, event management, and marketing have been severely compromised. Most alarmingly, the International Professional Footballers’ Association (FIFPRO) has reported that multiple ISL clubs have unilaterally terminated players’ contracts due to financial instability—threatening the livelihoods and careers of athletes relying on the league.
Adding to the frustration, progress in the Supreme Court has been slow. After the court resumed operations on July 14, 2025, three ISL clubs suspended player salaries amid the uncertainty, yet no ruling on the AIFF’s constitution emerged. The AIFF initially agreed to push the court to address the case but later reversed its decision. It was only through the intervention of Amici Curiae (court-appointed advisors) Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Samar Bansal that the Supreme Court agreed on August 22 to let the AIFF and FSDL discuss a path forward for the 2025–26 ISL season. A key hearing to review their joint proposal is scheduled for August 28—a date now viewed as a make-or-break moment for domestic football.
The AIFF’s “Three-Point Mandate” to Avoid Suspension
To avert a ban, FIFA and AFC have outlined three non-negotiable tasks the AIFF must complete by October 30:
Secure a definitive order from India’s Supreme Court approving the revised AIFF constitution.
Ensure the new constitution fully aligns with the mandatory provisions of FIFA and AFC statutes.
Obtain formal ratification of the constitution at the next AIFF General Meeting.
“Failure to meet this schedule will leave us no choice but to refer the matter to FIFA’s relevant decision-making bodies,” the letter warns. It also demands the AIFF present the joint letter to the Supreme Court and share it with India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, stressing that compliance is “binding and immediate” to protect the federation’s membership status.
All Eyes on August 28: Can Indian Football Find a Way Forward?
With the October 30 deadline fast approaching and the August 28 Supreme Court hearing looming, Indian football fans are clinging to hope for a resolution. The hearing is expected to address both the ISL’s future and the
AIFF’s constitution—two issues intertwined in the federation’s fight to avoid suspension.
Critics argue that vested interests have diverted the court’s focus away from the core constitution debate, with recent hearings fixated on the MRA rather than the governance reforms needed to stabilize the sport.
“Different parties have derailed the case from its original purpose, delaying decisions and putting Indian football on hold,” a source tracking the developments told reporters.
As India’s football community awaits the August 28 ruling, the stakes could not be higher. A positive outcome would unlock the ISL season, restore financial certainty for clubs and players, and set the AIFF on track to meet FIFA and AFC’s October deadline. A setback, however, could push the nation toward another suspension—dealing a devastating blow to a sport already struggling to realize its potential. For Indian football, the next few weeks will define its trajectory for years to come.
