⚽️ HT Kick Off: ISL: The way forward?
If AIFF accepts the proposal for a new agreement in its current form, it could have a lot to answer for, says Dhiman in this issue.
As draft documents go, it is heavy on promise for All India Football Federation (AIFF) and clubs in the Indian Super League (ISL). It pitches alignment with global best practices — and that alone should be why AIFF and clubs must go for it — but then gives another reason: compliance with the new draft constitution.
What’s not to like?
So, what’s not to like? A lot as it turns out. No promotion and relegation in ISL for the next 10 years for one. Apart from what’s-in-it-for-us for I-League clubs, it is not in line with what was proposed and accepted in 2019 by Asia’s apex body. And since, as part of the proposal, it is AIFF’s responsibility to deal with Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, I am guessing the onus will be on the federation to explain why.
After allowing promotion for two seasons, ISL proposes to be a closed league again, the difference being that this time it will also be India’s top tier competition.
The argument that I-League clubs have not helped improve the standard is complicated. True, Mohammedan Sporting hit a new high in abjection and have been beset by financial problems but Punjab FC also qualified through that route and have shown they can compete. In their second season, Punjab FC finished above two teams that have been in ISL way longer.
Ten of the last 15 teams promoted to the Premier League went down the next season but that has not got the world’s most watched league to stop relegation. For the second successive Premier League season, all three promoted teams have gone down. Surviving in the top tier is difficult — Nottingham Forest needed 57 signings and some £125m to make an impact — everywhere but how can clubs not be allowed to dream of doing what Ipswich Town (1961-62), Forest (1977-78) and Kaiserslautern (1997-98) did? All three won the top league in the season they were promoted.
And if off-the-field problems worry those who conceived ISL, well, it would be difficult to look beyond what hit Hyderabad FC in 2023-24. Financial problems led to the club being hit with transfer bans and a host of players leaving months after head coach Manolo Marquez did.
Clubs formed with ISL have had protection from relegation for 11 seasons. Granted, it takes time to grow the culture but how much have they done to suggest they are on the right path and would need insulation for another 10 years?
Joint-venture: Are clubs able?
The plan to form a company to run ISL is in line with global best practices and the document lists the Big Five in Europe and the Asian countries doing it. As far as I know, the document or its contents was shared with clubs before being sent to AIFF. And that they had agreed in principle with the proposals. But should five ISL clubs failing the Premier 1 licence test not come in the way of them being co-owners of ISL? More so, because this was hardly the first time ISL clubs flunked licensing tests.
Should NorthEast United, Odisha FC, Hyderabad FC, Kerala Blasters and Mohammedan Sporting therefore be allowed to own a stake in a joint-venture company despite not meeting all the licensing requirements? ISL double winners, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, FC Goa, Mumbai City FC, Bengaluru FC, Jamshedpur FC, Chennayin FC and East Bengal made the grade after paying fines. The only club to have ticked all the boxes? Punjab FC.
While it is indeed best practice to allow clubs to have a say in the running of a competition that is about them, what is not clear is why that company should also get to own rights for national team matches in perpetuity? As per the draft document, national team matches will be the property of a company where AIFF, technically sole guardians of all India teams, has only 14% stake.
What was AIFF doing?
The document was sent to AIFF in March. It was read out in the next executive committee meeting but why were copies not circulated? Wouldn’t that have given the members a chance to better engage with ideas meant to shape the future of ISL, India teams and AIFF’s responsibilities? Also, when it was known to all that the current agreement ends in 2025, why was the conversation over the future of AIFF-FSDL relationship stalled after it began in 2023? It was sub-judice then, it is sub-judice now.
And if AIFF has an answer to Bhaichung Bhutia’s question, we are yet to hear it. They went, listened and had pizza, Bhutia said in his latest salvo on AIFF. Accepted in this form, AIFF could have a lot to answer for.
For now, though reports of ISL not happening seem somewhat exaggerated, as are claims that clubs are not working the transfer market, it is likely the 2025-26 season will not start in September. That has hit the Durand Cup. Clubs have pulled out of the world’s third oldest tournament because it makes no sense to start pre-seasons as usual when the start of the season is likely to be delayed.
Play of the week
In other news
DFB fined for tax evasion: The German soccer federation, DFB, has been convicted of tax evasion related to the awarding of the 2006 World Cup, reports AP. A regional court in Frankfurt has fined DFB $128,000. Prosecutors had been pushing for a larger fine after accusing the DFB of failing to pay approximately €2.7 million (now $3.1 million) in taxes related to its payment of €6.7 million euros ($7.8 million) to FIFA in April 2005. That payment settled a loan that Germany great Franz Beckenbauer, the head of the World Cup organising committee, had accepted from Robert Louis-Dreyfus, a former Adidas executive and then part-owner of the Infront marketing agency.
The money was channeled through a Swiss law firm to a Qatari company belonging to Mohammed Bin Hammam, then a member of FIFA's executive committee. The exact purpose of the money remained unclear. DFB concealed repayment of the loan as a contribution toward a planned World Cup opening gala, which was later cancelled, and falsely declared it a business expense a year later.
Neymar Jr renews Santos deal: Neymar Jr has extended his contract with Brazilian club Santos until the end of December, reports AP. The 33-year-old forward returned to his boyhood club in late January but has been limited by injuries. His current deal was set to expire next week. Neymar and Santos confirmed the extension on Tuesday.
South Korea lift bar on goalkeepers: K-League clubs will be allowed to register foreign players as goalkeepers for the first time in 27 years, starting with the 2026 season, the South Korean top division league said, reports Reuters. The league banned its clubs from registering foreign players as keepers in 1999, when it had eight teams, in a bid to ensure domestic keepers get enough playing time. The K-League 1 now has 12 teams, with a second tier introduced in 2013. Following a board meeting, the league issued a statement on Friday which said: “The board said it took into consideration the fact that foreign players were restricted from registering as goalkeepers, a specialised position, resulting in excessive salary increases for domestic players compared to field players."
Tragedy in Algeria: Three spectators died and more than 70 were injured after falling from the upper stand of a stadium, following MC Alger's win in the Algerian top-flight league for the second season in a row, the Algerian ministry of health said on Sunday, reports Reuters. Local media reports said the spectators fell after a fence in the upper stand broke, with El Heddaf TV's Facebook page posting a video showing part of a railing collapsed onto the lower tier. The injured spectators were rushed to hospital, where MC Alger players, staff and administrators also went to donate blood as the trophy presentation ceremony was postponed, the reports added.
Honour for PK: The 127th season of the Calcutta Football League, Asia’s oldest, will be dedicated to PK Banerjee, the Indian Football Association (IFA), the sport’s governing body in West Bengal, has announced. To mark the occasion, a commemorative stamp on Banerjee was released.
Ronaldo to stay at Al-Nassr: Cristiano Ronaldo signed a two-year contract extension with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr on Thursday. The Portugal great's deal lets him continue playing until at least the age of 42 and will give him the chance to add to his record-breaking career, reports AP. “A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let's make history together,” Ronaldo said in a social media post. Ronaldo sparked uncertainty about his future at the end of the Saudi season last month when announcing the “chapter is over." But the announcement on Thursday put an end to speculation about his next move.
Lyon “relegated”: Seven-time French champions Lyon have been relegated to Ligue 2 because of ongoing financial irregularities, reports AP. The decision followed an audit of the club's finances by the French league's soccer watchdog, known as DNCG. French sports daily L'Equipe estimated Lyon’s current debt at €175 million ($203 million). Lyon can appeal.
Juve-Adidas $468 million deal: Juventus have extended their technical partnership with German sportswear giant Adidas until June 2037, in a deal worth €408 million ($468 million) over a decade, the Serie A club said in a statement, reports Reuters. The current agreement between the two parties, which runs until June 2027, will remain unchanged, the Italian club has said. The new contract will then take effect from the 2027-2028 season and cover all Juventus teams until the end of the 2036-2037 season. Juventus, famed for their black and white shirts, said the valuation for the new agreement does not include additional royalties for exceeding certain sales volumes or variable components linked to sporting results. Juventus and Adidas joined forces from the 2015/2016 season.
Rubiales found guilty: Spain's High Court on Wednesday upheld a verdict that found former federation president Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for an unsolicited kiss on the lips of national team player Jenni Hermoso at the 2023 World Cup in Sydney, reports Reuters. Rubiales was fined over €10,000 ($11,592) and acquitted of coercion charges alongside three co-defendants. Prosecutors had sought a two-and-a-half year prison sentence and called for a retrial, both of which were dismissed.
Iconic moment
Cazorla, 40, does it for Oviedo
With veteran Santi Cazorla leading the way 20 years after he left the club, Oviedo made it back to La Liga securing their return to the top flight with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Mirandes in the final of the promotion playoffs last week, reports AP. After a 1-0 first-leg loss, they won 3-1 in extra time with Cazorla scoring one of the goals. “At 40 years old I think this is the greatest thing I've ever experienced,” said the former Spain, Villarreal and Arsenal playmaker. “I've been lucky enough to experience great things with Spain and with the clubs that I've been with, winning many trophies, but nothing compares to this.”
Also read
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They said it
That’s all for this week. As always, I look forward to your feedback. You can either write to me at dhiman@htlive.com, or reply to this mail.