Indian men’s football is going through its biggest crisis in decades as the Indian Super League (ISL) prepares to restart after a nine-month pause. While the announcement that the league will kick off on February 14 brought temporary relief, it was quickly overshadowed by concerns over salary cuts and financial instability.
Indian Super League Crisis: Salary Cuts and Financial Strain Explained
Clubs Seek Salary Cuts from Players
Multiple ISL clubs have asked players to accept salary cuts ranging from 10% to 25%, citing rising costs and reduced revenues.
- Players earning over ₹1 crore per season have been asked to take a 20–25% cut
- Those earning below ₹1 crore may face 10–15% cuts
Players have expressed anxiety, stating that clubs are demanding a “yes or no” decision without detailed discussions, with some even being told they might not play in the league if they refuse.
Reduced Matches and Truncated Season
The upcoming ISL season will be shorter, with 72 fewer matches compared to the 2024–25 season. This reduction has directly affected club revenues, worsening the financial strain.
ISL clubs spend nearly 70% of their annual budgets on player salaries. Although the league has an official salary cap of ₹16.5 crore, it is widely known that clubs exceed this limit to stay competitive, especially due to the shortage of top-quality domestic players.
AIFF, Broadcast Deal Expiry and No New Bidders
The crisis deepened after the 15-year commercial rights deal between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Reliance Sports expired on December 8, 2025. When AIFF floated a fresh tender for a new broadcast partner, no bids were received, leaving clubs without a guaranteed revenue stream.
Earlier, ISL clubs benefited from a ₹275 crore per season broadcast deal, a portion of which was shared with franchises. The absence of such a deal has created a significant financial gap.
Government Intervention Prevents Season Cancellation
Several clubs were reportedly ready to cancel the season, terminate player contracts, and restart next year with controlled salaries. However, not all teams supported this idea.
The situation changed after intervention by Mansukh Mandaviya, who urged clubs and AIFF to conduct the league. He warned that failure to hold a domestic football season could lead to FIFA-related complications, potentially affecting India’s bids for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympics.
Following this, all 14 teams agreed to participate in a single-leg home-and-away format.
Club Owners Speak Out
Parth Jindal, owner of Bengaluru FC, acknowledged the severity of the situation. He stated that ISL clubs have been loss-making for years and warned that without cooperation from players, many clubs may be forced to shut down permanently.
Exam-Oriented Key Facts
- ISL will resume on February 14 after a nine-month gap
- Players asked to accept 10–25% salary cuts
- 72 fewer matches in the upcoming season
- ISL salary cap is ₹16.5 crore
- AIFF’s commercial deal expired on December 8, 2025
- No new broadcast bids received
- Intervention by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya ensured season continuation
- 14 teams will participate in the league
Question & Answer
Q1. The Indian Super League (ISL) is scheduled to resume from which date?
(a) January 1
(b) February 1
(c) February 14
(d) March 1
Answer: February 14
Q2. ISL clubs spend nearly what percentage of their annual budget on player salaries?
(a) 40%
(b) 50%
(c) 60%
(d) 70%
Answer: 70%
Q3. What is the official salary cap in the Indian Super League?
(a) ₹10 crore
(b) ₹12.5 crore
(c) ₹16.5 crore
(d) ₹20 crore
Answer: ₹16.5 crore
Q4. Which organisation’s expired commercial deal triggered the ISL financial crisis?
(a) Sports Authority of India
(b) AIFF
(c) BCCI
(d) FIFA
Answer: AIFF
Q5. Who intervened to ensure that the ISL season is conducted?
(a) FIFA President
(b) AIFF Secretary
(c) Parth Jindal
(d) Mansukh Mandaviya
Answer: Mansukh Mandaviya
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