ISL to kick off on February 14, all teams will participate: Sports Ministry

New Delhi, Jan 6 The much-awaited new season of the Indian Super League (ISL) is set to commence on February 14, Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The league was in limbo ever since the talks between Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and AIFF broke down, and the two could not decide on the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with AIFF to operate the Indian Super League. FSDL refused to start the 2025-26 edition at the usual time because the MRA was set to expire on December 8, 2025, midway through the league, and there was no clarity over its renewal.

“Due to a court dispute, there was a lot of uncertainty about the Indian Super League, but today the government and AIFF, along with club representatives of all 14 clubs, have decided to start the league again. The national football league will kick off from February 14,” Sports Minister Dr. Mandaviya said.

Mandaviya emphasised that all the 14 clubs have agreed to play in the ISL this year, and all the details will be provided further on, including many of the tournament details, such as how it will be played, on what platforms, as well as where the matches will be held. Following that, teams will have to get their rosters back together and begin preparing for the upcoming season once the aforementioned items are determined.

Earlier, Indian footballers, along with international stars, urged the sport's global governing body, FIFA, to step in and resolve the lingering state of the franchise-based tournament.

Leading figures of Indian football, including Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan, and Sunil Chhetri, have publicly appealed to FIFA to step in amid the ongoing crisis facing the sport in the country.

“It’s January, and we should be on your screens as a part of a competitive football game in the Indian Super League,” Gurpreet said in a video featuring other players, too. “Instead, here we are driven by fear and desperation to say aloud something which we all know,” Jhingan added. “Players, staff, owners, and the fans deserve clarity, protection, and more importantly, a future,” Chhetri said.

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