The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has officially confirmed that it will conduct the upcoming season of the Indian Super League (ISL). The federation announced that the much-awaited commencement dates for the league will be revealed in the coming week. This decision follows a critical meeting of the AIFF's Emergency Committee.
Emergency Committee Reviews Key Report
The AIFF Emergency Committee convened on January 3, 2026, to review the findings of a special AIFF-ISL Coordination Committee. This Coordination Committee was originally formed on December 20, 2025, in the wake of discussions held during the AIFF Executive Committee meeting and the Annual General Meeting. The panel was tasked with submitting its comprehensive report to the AIFF Secretariat by January 2, 2026, a deadline it successfully met.
After careful consideration, the Emergency Committee formally acknowledged the report's contents. Its central recommendation was clear: the league should be conducted by the All India Football Federation itself. Accepting this recommendation, the AIFF has now taken direct responsibility for organizing the tournament.
Players' Desperate Plea to FIFA
This administrative update comes against a backdrop of deep crisis and vocal concern from the footballing community. The ISL season, which was initially slated to begin in September 2025, has been severely delayed, primarily due to the absence of a commercial partner.
On Friday, a group of India's most prominent footballers, including captain Sunil Chhetri, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and defender Sandesh Jhingan, released a powerful video titled ‘Save Indian Football’. In the joint statement, they made an emotional appeal to global football bodies FIFA and FIFPRO to intervene in the situation.
"It's January and we should be on your screens as a part of a competitive football game in the Indian Super League," stated Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, highlighting the abnormal delay. Sandesh Jhingan added, "Instead, here we are driven by fear and desperation to say aloud something which we all know."
The players collectively expressed that the AIFF is "no longer in a position to fulfil its responsibilities" and that Indian football is staring at a "permanent paralysis." They stressed their plea was not politically motivated but a necessity, describing the scenario as a "humanitarian, sporting and economic crisis." Their core message was simple: "We just want to play football."
The Path Forward for Indian Football
The AIFF's announcement to set the dates next week is the first concrete step towards resolving the prolonged uncertainty. However, it directly responds to the players' demand for clarity and a secured future. The federation now faces the immediate task of finalizing the calendar and addressing the underlying commercial and structural issues that led to the delay.
All stakeholders—players, coaching staff, club owners, and millions of fans—will be watching closely for the official schedule. The coming week's announcement will be crucial in determining whether the 2026 season can salvage a disrupted football calendar and restore confidence in the sport's governance in India.
