The All India Football Federation has launched a fresh tender for the commercial rights of India’s top club football competitions, seeking a partner willing to commit to a minimum 15-year deal beginning with the 2026-27 season.
In October last year, the federation released a similar tender for the Indian Super League. It closed in November without a single bid. Nobody came forward. The AIFF was left to run the 2025-26 ISL season without a broadcasting deal or a confirmed commercial partner — clubs waited longer for payments, marketing support dried up, and the whole situation made clear just how exposed Indian football is without a stable commercial foundation.
This time, the AIFF has tightened its approach. The Request for Proposal will not be publicly released, and interested parties must pay ₹2.5 lakh directly to the federation to receive the document. The document will be shared by email only after payment confirmation. Also, bids submitted by parties who have not purchased the RFP will be rejected. The federation has also made clear that buying the document does not guarantee a bid will be evaluated, signalling that the process is intended for committed, financially capable stakeholders rather than exploratory interest.
Two Packages on the Table
The tender is divided into two distinct commercial packages.
Package A covers men’s football and includes the Indian Super League and the Super Cup — formerly the Federation Cup — the country’s main knockout competition. Package B covers the women’s game, specifically the Indian Women’s League and IWL 2, its second division. Bidders for Package B also have the option to include the Women’s Federation Cup, a tournament the AIFF plans to launch in the coming years.
The commercial rights to the Indian Football League, formerly the I-League, are not part of this tender and will be managed through a separate process.
Timeline
The AIFF has set a compressed schedule. A pre-bid conference is scheduled for March 11, giving interested parties a chance to raise questions before the March 12 query submission deadline. The federation will respond to all queries by March 15. Final bids must be submitted by March 19, with the official opening of bids on March 20.
The tight window, roughly two and a half weeks from today, suggests the federation is keen to avoid a repeat of last season’s drawn-out uncertainty, which disrupted club planning and eroded stakeholder confidence.
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What Went Wrong Last Time
The October 2024 tender failed for reasons that were widely discussed within the industry. Concerns centred on inflexible contract terms, ambiguous revenue-sharing structures, and broader questions about the ISL’s commercial trajectory. No bidder was willing to commit under those conditions.
The AIFF had initially aimed to invite bids under the revised framework by February 20 this year, but held back to rework the tender document. Whether the revisions are sufficient to attract serious interest will become clear over the next three weeks.
What a Deal Could Mean
A long-term commercial agreement would give clubs a predictable revenue base, something they have lacked through much of the ISL’s existence. For broadcasters or media platforms, a 15-year deal represents a significant bet on Indian football’s growth — one that would require confidence in the league’s audience numbers, production standards, and competitive quality.
Package B, covering women’s football, is notable given the global growth of the women’s game. Commercial investment at this stage could help build infrastructure and visibility for the IWL at a time when the sport is attracting wider attention.
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The ₹2.5 Lakh Filter
The decision to charge for the RFP has divided opinion, with supporters of the move arguing it filters out non-serious enquiries and ensures the federation engages only with parties capable of executing a deal of this scale. Critics suggest it may push away unconventional or smaller bidders who could bring competitive or innovative proposals.
What Comes Next
With bids due on March 19 and the opening scheduled for March 20, the AIFF faces a critical few weeks. A successful outcome would provide clubs, players, and fans with the commercial clarity Indian football has lacked. A second failure would raise deeper questions about the structure and appeal of the league itself. The federation has set the terms. The market now has until March 19 to respond.
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