Footballers’ viral appeal pays off, ISL to start from February 14

Indian football’s unprecedented crisis appears to have eased after the Indian Super League (ISL) was officially cleared to resume from February 14 , following months of uncertainty that had paralysed the sport and pushed players to appeal directly to FIFA in a video message that went viral nationwide.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday announced that the top-tier league, which has been on hold since July due to the absence of a commercial partner, will be conducted with the participation of all 14 clubs , including Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, who had earlier raised concerns over the proposed financial model.

“The government, the football federation and all 14 ISL clubs had a meeting today. We have collectively decided that the ISL will start on February 14. All clubs will participate,” Mandaviya said, flanked by ISL club CEOs and All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey .

The decision comes days after a joint video appeal by senior Indian internationals Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan, Rahul Bheke, Pritam Kotal, Lallianzuala Chhangte , along with foreign players Hugo Boumous and Carlos Delgado , described the situation as a “humanitarian, sporting and economic crisis” and urged FIFA to intervene.

The video struck a chord far beyond the football fraternity, going viral on social media and drawing support from politicians, actors and public figures. Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bollywood actor-producer John Abraham were among those who publicly retweeted the appeal, amplifying pressure on administrators to resolve the deadlock.

The ISL 2025–26 season had remained in limbo after the 15-year Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between AIFF and its commercial partner Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) , backed by Reliance, expired in December 2025. A Supreme Court-monitored tender process to appoint a new commercial rights holder failed to attract a single bidder, leaving clubs, players and staff without clarity.

Chaubey said the upcoming ISL will feature 91 matches on a home-and-away basis , though logistical details are still being finalised. The second-tier I-League , which was also suspended due to the same issues, will be held around the same time with all 11 clubs , albeit in a truncated format of 55 matches .

“A central pool of ₹25 crore has been created solely for the conduct of the ISL,” Chaubey said. “Ten percent will come from AIFF, 30 percent was expected from a commercial partner, but since we don’t have one yet, AIFF will step in. In total, AIFF will contribute ₹14 crore for ISL and around ₹3.2 crore for the I-League until a commercial partner is finalised.”

He added that legacy participating clubs would contribute the remaining funds and that the government had assured support if further financial assistance is required. A Governing Council Board will also be constituted to manage the leagues and take commercial decisions going forward.

The prolonged uncertainty had left footballers distressed, with contracts stalled, salaries delayed and careers on pause. Several foreign players exited their ISL clubs during the hiatus, while the City Football Group , owners of Manchester City, exited their stake in Mumbai City FC .

Despite the resumption, clubs are unlikely to meet the mandatory 24-match requirement needed to qualify for the AFC Champions League 2 . ISL teams have already urged the AIFF to seek a one-time relaxation from the Asian Football Confederation.

For now, the restart offers long-awaited relief. What began as a viral plea from players has finally translated into action, rescuing Indian football from the brink and giving the sport a chance to regain momentum after one of its darkest phases.