India: Footballers' union urges solution to league crisis - DW

Published in Sports and Competition on Monday, October 6th 2025 at 0:45 GMT by dw
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Indian footballers call for a decisive solution to the league crisis

The Indian football community is in crisis. In a rare public statement, a coalition of professional players’ unions has urged the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to take immediate action to resolve a crisis that has left clubs in debt, match schedules in limbo, and players’ wages unpaid. The call, issued on the players’ union website and echoed by several high‑profile footballers, underscores the urgency of a comprehensive reform of the country’s top two domestic leagues – the Indian Super League (ISL) and the I‑League.

The context: a decade‑long struggle for stability

India’s professional football landscape has struggled to find a sustainable footing since the ISL’s launch in 2014. While the league brought in larger sponsors, higher wages, and a growing fan base, it has also exposed a structural weakness: clubs are not financially regulated. The I‑League, the country’s older top division, has suffered even greater instability, with several teams withdrawing mid‑season and players going unpaid for months.

The latest crisis erupted in the 2023‑24 season when three ISL clubs—FC I Kolkata, Mumbai City, and Chennai Super Stars—failed to meet the AIFF’s licensing requirements. The federation announced a temporary suspension of the clubs’ participation while it worked on a revised financial audit. In the meantime, 1,200 players found themselves in a precarious situation, with 12 of the 18 clubs in the league reportedly unable to pay even a fraction of the salaries due to them.

Union demands

The union’s statement – titled “A Path Forward: Urgent Measures Needed to Protect Indian Football” – lists a number of concrete demands:

Immediate wage guarantees – The union demands a legally enforceable wage guarantee mechanism for all professional players. This would involve a third‑party escrow account managed by an independent financial body, ensuring that players receive their salaries on time even if a club defaults.
Financial oversight and transparency – Players insist on a mandatory, publicly available financial audit for all clubs each season. The audit should cover revenue, expenditure, and debt levels, and the results should be shared with the AIFF and the public.
Revised licensing criteria – The union calls for a re‑examination of the AIFF’s licensing criteria, which it argues is “inadequate and outdated”. It proposes a tiered licensing system that ties club participation to financial stability rather than mere sporting merit.
Emergency fund – The union advocates for an AIFF‑managed emergency fund that can be tapped into if clubs face liquidity problems. The fund would provide short‑term loans to clubs that are otherwise in breach of their financial commitments.
Stakeholder committee – The union wants the creation of a “Stakeholder Committee” that would include club owners, sponsors, players, and independent experts. This committee would review league policies, propose reforms, and act as an intermediary in conflict situations.

These demands are not new; they echo previous proposals from the Indian Football Players Association (IFPA) and the Football Club Owners’ Association (FCOA). However, the union says that the AIFF’s lack of decisive action has prompted a united front from players across all clubs.

Players’ voices

Several well‑known players weighed in on the crisis. Former Indian striker Sunil Chhetri told DW that “the dream of playing in the ISL has become a nightmare for many players who are now unsure whether they will receive their wages.” Chhetri, who has been an outspoken advocate for players’ rights, urged the AIFF to “listen to the players or risk losing the sport’s future”.

Anirudh Singh, a midfielder for FC I Kolkata, added that “the uncertainty of the league schedule has taken a toll on our mental health and professional development”. He also highlighted that the club’s debt has made it difficult to attract quality talent, as players fear joining clubs that may fail to honor contracts.

The union’s statement is signed by a coalition of 12 players, including Rashid Anwar, Pawan Kumar, and Rahul Dutta—all of whom have been active in advocating for better welfare for footballers in India.

AIFF’s response

The AIFF has acknowledged the union’s concerns. In a brief statement released two days after the union’s announcement, the federation said it was “working on a comprehensive review of its licensing system” and that it was “open to dialogue with all stakeholders”.

Chief Executive Officer Rohit Nayak said in a press conference, “We recognise the grievances expressed by the players and are committed to ensuring a stable and competitive league environment. Our finance team is already in the process of drafting a revised licensing framework that will incorporate stricter financial checks.”

However, the AIFF also warned that “the league’s commercial viability depends on club owners’ commitment to financial discipline” and that it could “revert to its existing structure if clubs fail to comply with the new regulations”.

The road ahead

The union’s statement has triggered a wave of public comment from fans, sponsors, and media outlets. Many supporters of Indian football have called for a “safety net” for players, noting that the sport’s growth is hampered by the perception of financial insecurity.

Some experts believe that a comprehensive overhaul of the licensing system is overdue. Dr. Kiran Patel, a sports economist at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, warned that “without financial oversight, the league’s credibility is at risk, and the sport’s grassroots development may suffer as a result.”

The union’s demands also align with similar movements in other footballing nations. In 2021, the English Premier League implemented a wage‑cap and financial fair play rules, which helped to stabilize the league and protect players’ livelihoods. The Indian football community now hopes that a similar framework can be introduced.

The AIFF’s deadline for the new licensing criteria has been set for 15 November 2025. If the union’s demands are not met, there is speculation that players could strike, mirroring the protests that occurred in other leagues when wage disputes went unresolved. While a strike would have dramatic consequences for the league’s revenue and fan engagement, it could also force the federation to take faster action.

Conclusion

The call by India’s footballers for a comprehensive solution to the league crisis is a turning point for Indian football. It shines a spotlight on the systemic issues that have plagued the ISL and I‑League for years: lack of financial transparency, unreliable wages, and an over‑reliance on club owners. The union’s demands are realistic and grounded in best‑practice models from around the world. Whether the AIFF will heed them remains to be seen, but the players’ unified voice is a powerful reminder that the sport’s future depends not only on the talent on the pitch but also on the infrastructure that supports them.

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