AIFF BEC To Submit Report To SC After Deliberations Over Subsequent Course Of Action

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The All India Football Federation released a statement on Sunday revealing that the Bid Evaluation Committee had deliberated on the status of the RFP.

The statement mentioned that the Chairperson of the BEC would submit a report to the Supreme Court regarding the subsequent steps in the process.

The Bid Evaluation Committee of the All India Football Federation held a meeting on Sunday, November 9, 2025, to review and discuss the status of the Request for Proposal (RFP) for awarding the right to monetise the commercial rights belonging to the All India Football Federation for a limited term, AIFF stated on Sunday.

Following the committee’s deliberations, the Chairperson of the BEC, Justice (Retd.) L. Nageswara Rao, will submit his report to the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India as the next step in the process, the governing body continued.

The AIFF failed to attract any bids for the Indian Super League tender process, despite an extended and publicised effort leading up to the November 7, 2025, deadline.

The tender, launched on October 16, 2025, aimed to find a new commercial partner to manage ISL’s broadcasting, sponsorship, digital, and merchandising rights.

Four organisations, Football Sports Development Limited, Dream Sports-owned FanCode, Conscient Heritage Group, and an overseas consortium, showed initial interest during the pre-bid conference on October 25.

Despite early interest, none of the entities submitted formal bids. One prospective bidder was reportedly disqualified due to a conflict of interest, while others raised concerns about the tender’s financial structure and lack of clarity on league operations.

FSDL, which had previously managed ISL’s commercial rights under the Master Rights Agreement (MRA), reportedly sought detailed clarifications, submitting over 100 queries. AIFF addressed more than 230 queries and issued multiple corrigenda to modify timelines and bid criteria, yet the process still failed to secure a commitment, according to sources.

The new proposal required a minimum annual guarantee of ₹37.5 crore or 5% of gross revenue, whichever was higher, terms many deemed unrealistic given the league’s current market position. In contrast, the earlier FSDL agreement offered greater flexibility and stability for both parties.

It was reported that Mohun Bagan suspended senior team operations indefinitely after AIFF failed to get any bidder for the tender.

The AIFF now faces a challenging task to restructure its commercial framework, with grassroots development, national team funding, and league operations all potentially affected by the growing financial strain.