Indian Super League

News Summary:

Streaming platform FanCode acquired exclusive global media rights to the Indian Super League (ISL) on March 9, 2026, in a deal that on the surface appeared to be a significant drop from the previous fee, as the league aims to recover lost value. This follows a widening "trust deficit" reported on March 5 between India’s top-tier football clubs and the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Clubs expressed their concerns after the AIFF unilaterally invited bids for commercial rights of its properties, including the ISL, where clubs fund 60% of the costs. Earlier, on January 31, ISL clubs informed the AIFF that "no expansion or alteration is acceptable at this stage," effectively blocking the inclusion of Churchill Brothers FC, even though the club had provided support letters from Goa and Delhi. This action followed a snap tender for ISL media rights initiated on January 19, after an unsuccessful process to find a new commercial partner to run the competition. Previously, on January 6, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that the Indian Super League, which had been on hold due to the lack of a commercial partner, would resume on February 14 and feature all 14 clubs.