The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Thursday proposed that the Super Cup, a tournament held at the end of the season, be moved forward and conducted after the Durand Cup in the first week of September – all in all confirming that any plans to host the Indian Super League (ISL) at its original timeline had failed. But AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey assured stricken ISL clubs that had demanded this meeting that the league would take place this season, even though no agreement between the premier footballing body and its commercial partner the Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) over the Master Rights Agreement was in sight. Any further discussions on the agreement has been stalled with the Supreme Court yet to announce its final order on the AIFF’s constitution.
The AIFF also added that it had decided to discuss moving up the tournament so as to give players who are part of the Indian team some game time. Chaubey further stated that details of the exact schedule of the tournament and its structure will be hashed out in another meeting that will be held in the next ‘7-10 days’.
Chaubey acknowledged that with most clubs yet to start their pre-seasons, they will need six to eight weeks for preparation. “Super Cup was scheduled at the end of the season as you know but due to this situation, we may reschedule it (so that it happens) before the league so that the club can play a competition. We are losing a month or so for this. We also have to finish this season within 31st of May next year,” said Chaubey.
Chaubey further stated that the format of the tournament can be modified to save costs. However, arranging pre-season schedules may be only one of many concerns for a number of clubs, with the likes of Chennaiyin FC and Odisha FC pausing their first-team operations and Bengaluru FC suspending salaries of first team players and coaching staff.
Chaubey further reiterated that the upcoming season of the ISL will take place, even saying that all matches that “were scheduled will take place” in the season. “Super Cup and league both will be held. Super Cup before ISL. Clubs have a concern that if there is no league then what is their commitment towards managing their squads. So they need to know how many matches there are going to be in this season. All the matches that were scheduled will all take place,” he said.
However, the federation also said on Thursday that it has no choice but to wait till the Supreme Court verdict to come to further its negotiations with the FSDL, which in turn need to be concluded for any tentative dates to be decided for the 2025/26 ISL. “Nobody is thinking about delayed judgement, we are all waiting for it to come at the earliest. It’s the Supreme Court, we are waiting for it. We asked (for it to be fast tracked) on the first day itself,” said AIFF vice-president NA Haris.
Clubs on the fence
FC Goa CEO Ravi Puskur, NorthEast United CEO Mandar Tamhane and Punjab FC general manager Nitin Pant were the three representatives from ISL clubs that stayed back after the meeting for the press conference on Thursday. When asked if the clubs are happy with the outcome of the meeting, Puskur said: “We have just finished the meeting so I don’t think we have had to actually sit down and digest everything. You will have to give us a little bit of time because we can’t just press a button and then things fall in place.
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“It takes a lot of coordination, a lot of logistical work that needs to be done. So once we have some clarity on that, like the honourable president mentioned, we will come back collectively and discuss it and then we can give you some more clarity on how that will work for us. But yes, ultimately we also want the game to continue. So, make of it what you will.”
FC Goa are scheduled to play a qualifying match for the AFC Champions League Two against Oman’s Al-Seeb at home on August 13. Meanwhile, 2024/25 ISL champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant have qualified for the group stage of the continental tournament, which starts on September 16. Odisha FC owner Rohan Sharma, meanwhile, was far more direct on X. “Yup, just empty words,” he said in his post. “Super Cup=Durand Cup… Why would clubs again do another tourney with no clarity for the league,” he said.
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