World football’s governing body FIFA has written to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) over the delayed implementation of its constitution, and threatened a suspension. The letter stated that a ‘continued failure to finalise and implement the revised Constitution of the All India Football Federation’ has led to an ‘untenable vacuum and legal uncertainties’ in Indian football.
In a strongly-worded letter, accessed by The Indian Express, addressed to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, FIFA also reminded the AIFF of its ‘obligation to manage its affairs independently and without any undue third-party influence, including government bodies.’
Giving AIFF a deadline of October 30, 2025, FIFA has asked it to secure a definitive order from the Supreme Court that approves the AIFF constitution. Furthermore, the letter demands that the constitution completely aligns with FIFA and AFC (Asian Football Confederation) statutes and regulations. The AIFF has been asked to receive formal ratification of their constitution at its next General Meeting.
“This prolonged impasse has precipitated a governance and operational crisis. Clubs and players remain uncertain regarding the domestic competition calendar; commercial partnerships beyond December 2025 remain unconfirmed; and essential functions relating to development, competitions, and marketing are increasingly compromised. The resulting lack of financial stability has had a profoundly negative impact on India’s football ecosystem, particularly affecting footballers employed by clubs participating in the Indian Super League (ISL), which is organised under the auspices of the AIFF,” read the letter sent to the AIFF.
The logjam of the constitution not being finalised has led to a chaotic final season under the AIFF’s deal with their commercial partners Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). The 15-year Master Rights Agreement (MRA), which began in 2010 and ends in December 2025, was being renegotiated by both parties but talks had to be stopped after the Bench of Justice Sri Narasimha and Justice Joymala Bagchi verbally asked for negotiations to only take place after the AIFF elections.
But a later directive asked for negotiations to conduct the Indian Super League season, an endeavour that will see both the AIFF and FSDL appear in court again on Thursday.
India was previously suspended in August 2022 by FIFA for ‘third-party interference’, after a Committee of Administrators (CoA) was set up to run the Indian body for failure to hold elections. The CoA was swiftly disbanded so as to allow India to host the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which took place from October 11-30, 2022.
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FIFA outlined the consequences of not finalising the constitution, and also of third-party interference.
“Failure to adhere to this obligation may result in sanctions outlined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes, including the possibility of suspension. Furthermore, a member association may face consequences for third-party influence, even if it is not directly at fault (cf. article 14 paragraph 3 of the FIFA Statutes and article 10 paragraph 1 (t) and 2 of the AFC Statutes). A suspension of the AIFF would result in the loss of all of its rights as a FIFA and AFC member, as defined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes,” the letter stated.
Fifa also stated that it had received feedback from FIFPRO, the players’ union.
“The resulting lack of financial stability has had a profoundly negative impact on India’s football ecosystem, particularly affecting footballers employed by clubs participating in the Indian Super League (ISL), which is organised under the auspices of the AIFF. We have received concerning reports from FIFPRO of the unilateral termination of players’ employment contracts by various clubs, as a direct consequence of the current impasse, affecting the players livelihoods and careers.”
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The letter was signed by Elkhan Mammadov, FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer, and Vahid Kardany, the AFC Deputy General Secretary of Member Associations.
