‘Indian football governance is no longer able to fulfil its responsibilities’: Players urge FIFA’s intervention | Football News
India’s top footballers have come together to make an emotional appeal to FIFA, asking the world governing body to step in as the Indian Super League (ISL) remains suspended with no clear return date. The appeal includes senior Indian players like Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Sandhesh Jhingan, along with several foreign players who play in the ISL. The players said the continued delay of the 2025–26 ISL season has created deep uncertainty and fear. They warned that Indian football is slowly moving towards a complete standstill if the situation is not resolved soon. “It’s January and we should be on your screens as apart of a competitive football game in the Indian Super League,” Gurpreet said in a joint video shared on social media. “Instead, here we are driven by fear and desperation to say aloud something which we all know,” Jhingan added. In the video, the players said that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is no longer able to manage the crisis and protect the future of football in the country. They asked FIFA to intervene and help bring stability back to the game. “But more importantly, we are here to make a plea. Indian football governance is no longer able to fulfil its responsibilities. We are now staring at a permanent paralysis. This is the last-ditch effort to save what we can. So we are calling the FIFA to step in and do what it takes to save Indian football,” the players said. They also made it clear that their message was not political but based on urgent need. “We hope this message gets to the power that are in Zurich. This call is not political, it is not driven by confrontation but by necessity. It might sound like a big word but the truth is that we are facing a humanitarian, sporting and economic crisis. And of course, we need rescuing at the earliest. We just want to play football, please help us do it,” they said. Sunil Chhetri ended the appeal by stressing the impact on everyone involved. “Players, staff, owners and the fans deserve clarity, protection and more importantly, a future,” he added. The ISL season was put on hold in July due to uncertainty over the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement between the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). The deal expired in December, leading to legal issues and Supreme Court involvement. A fresh tender for ISL’s commercial rights also failed to attract bidders. With the season still delayed, clubs are worried about finances and player contracts. Thirteen of the fourteen ISL clubs have told the AIFF they may play if there is no participation fee and the federation covers operational costs. The delay also threatens clubs’ chances of qualifying for the AFC Champions League 2, as they may not meet the minimum match requirement.
