‘Indian football at a standstill’: Top players seek FIFA intervention to save ISL season

New Delhi: In an unprecedented move born of desperation, India’s top football stars have appealed directly to the world governing body, FIFA, to intervene and rescue the sport in the country as the Indian Super League (ISL) faces an indefinite halt.

With the All India Football Federation (AIFF) seemingly unable to resolve the administrative paralysis, leading figures including Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan, Manvir Singh, and Rahul Bheke released a joint video message expressing their fear and frustration over the uncertainty plaguing the 2025-26 season.

The crisis stems from the expiry of the ten-year Master Rights Agreement with the league's former organizers, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). The AIFF has failed to secure a new commercial partner, leaving the season in limbo well past its usual start date.

In the video, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu highlights the anomaly, stating, "It is January. We should be filling your screens with ISL matches," while defender Sandesh Jhingan admits that fear and frustration have silenced the players until now. Indian legend Sunil Chhetri emphasised the need for clarity and protection for players, staff, and clubs, urging stakeholders to end the deadlock.

Describing the situation as a "humanitarian, sporting, and financial crisis," the players clarified that their appeal to Zurich is not political but a plea for survival. The delay has already had severe consequences, with training camps suspended and several clubs releasing foreign players due to the financial uncertainty.

Although reports suggest a potential start date in early February with a truncated format held across two or three venues, a proposal agreed to by 13 of the 14 ISL clubs, no final schedule has been confirmed. The players’ intervention comes as a final attempt to force a resolution and get the league underway.