AIFF proposes 20-year, ₹96 crore league plan

calcutta: A reimbursable participating fee of ₹1 crore, a syndicate where clubs’ ownership put up go up to 60%, chute payments, annual operational budget of ₹70 crore for a league with promotion and relegation were among the salient features of the 20-year plan shared by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with clubs of the Indian Super League (ISL) on Friday.

Costing ₹96 crore per season, the league would be, in keeping with the AIFF constitution approved by the Supreme Court, owned and operated by the federation but with greater agency for the commercial partners, according to the proposal. AIFF will have a veto on essential items such as licensing and disciplinary matters, according to the proposal.

Titled AIFF-National League Participation Model with Indian Super League as a sub-heading, the nine-page proposal has been created in-house by the federation. HT has seen the long-term plan.

“We have a lot of questions but I think this is a very strong foundation to take the discussion forward,” Mandhar Tamhane, CEO of NorthEast United (NEUFC) told HT. NEUFC, the reigning two-time Durand Cup champions, are one of the eight clubs that were part of the start of ISL in 2014.

“This was our second meeting in three days and both have been fruitful,” said Anirban Dutta who is part of the three-member committee appointed by AIFF to try and work out a solution in the short and long-term for India’s top men’s league which, in the absence of a commercial partner, has been paused this season.

Another meeting has been scheduled on Sunday and a third in New Delhi on Monday, said Dutta. “At the next meeting, we will try and work out a plan for the short-term.”

An AIFF official said a date for the start of the season is likely to be announced on Monday. “We are looking at the first week of February,” said the official.

AIFF has shared two proposals for the 14-team 2025-26 season with the clubs. The league can be held in the conference model in two venues, likely Kolkata and Goa, or a single-leg all-play-all format with a fixed number of away matches.

“Following the meeting on Wednesday, I had hoped for a call between the clubs to discuss AIFF’s suggestions but none happened,” said a club CEO. The official requested anonymity in order to protect relationships.

The 20-year plan created by AIFF gives the commercial partner 30% ownership with the federation’s stake pegged at 10%. The clubs will own 50% with provision of 1% more for each of the eight clubs that were part of the first ISL. “Those eight clubs will have to buy that but it will stay with them even if they are relegated,” said another AIFF official.

Like in the AIFF bid document seeking a commercial partner, this proposal provides for a parachute payment for two years for clubs that will be relegated.

Of the ₹70 crore as operational expense, AIFF’s share of payment will be ₹7 crore. The clubs’ share will be ₹35 crore and ₹28 crore will be paid by the commercial partner. Which means the cost per club in running the league and participating in it would be around ₹3.5 crore per season.

In an earlier proposal, AIFF was to have 14% stake. The new proposal pares it to 10% but the commercial partner will have to pay ₹12 crore per season to own that. Or 4% of the last season’s net revenue pool whichever is higher.

That means AIFF, as per this proposal, is assured of a minimum ₹26 crore annually from the top league.

All amounts included, the league will be worth ₹96 crore per season. All revenue will be shared as per ownership stake on recovering that amount, the proposal states.

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