AIFF Confirms Delayed Start to 2025-26 Indian Football Season, Super Cup to Precede ISL

After days of uncertainty, All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey confirmed on Thursday that the 2025-2026 Indian football season will go ahead, though it will begin later than usual. Speaking after a meeting in Delhi with Indian Super League (ISL) club representatives, Chaubey announced that both the ISL and the Super Cup will be held, with the latter serving as the curtain-raiser.

While specific dates were not revealed, Chaubey indicated that the Super Cup is likely to take place in either the second or third week of September. If confirmed, it would be the second Super Cup of the year, following the edition held in April-May. This scheduling would push the ISL’s usual September start back by several weeks.

The delay stems from an ongoing legal case in the Supreme Court over the AIFF constitution, which has halted negotiations with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) on the future of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA). The current MRA, signed in 2010 for a 15-year term, expires on December 8, with no clarity yet on its renewal or replacement.

Thursday’s meeting was attended in person by representatives from 11 ISL clubs, while Mohun Bagan Super Giant, East Bengal, and Odisha FC joined virtually. The uncertainty has already impacted clubs’ operations, with Chennaiyin FC suspending first-team activities on Wednesday, joining Bengaluru FC and Odisha FC in halting preseason work.

Chaubey stressed that holding the Super Cup before the ISL would help teams regain match fitness. “Some clubs are yet to start their pre-season; once that happens, normalcy will return. We will meet again in 7 to 10 days to further discuss the details, and hopefully we will have a confirmed kick-off date by then,” he said.

He also hinted at possible format changes for the league to reduce costs. “The AIFF and all the clubs collectively decided that, if required, we can modify the format of the tournament to save cost on logistics and other areas,” Chaubey added. However, he made it clear that the federation will not intervene in clubs’ internal financial decisions. “It’s the club’s decision to pay their players or staff. We can’t intervene, that’s how all top leagues operate.”

NorthEast United FC CEO Mandar Tamhane and FC Goa CEO Ravi Puskur, who attended the press conference, refrained from detailed comments, saying they needed time to process the meeting’s outcomes.

For now, fans will have to wait a little longer for the new season to kick off — but the AIFF’s latest confirmation ensures that, delayed or not, the ball will roll again.