Although India was absent from the World Cup, the tournament still generated enormous interest across the country. This has happened before, but now arrives alongside significant and necessary developments in the domestic game that could turn a four-yearly fascination into year-round attention.
Following more than twelve months of unflattering coverage surrounding the Indian Super League, the nation’s premier division is set to begin on 4 September. “The moment is ideal,” states Ravi Puskur, chief executive of FC Goa, which lifted the Super Cup — the country’s leading knockout trophy — last season. “A World Cup with challenging broadcast hours still attracted considerable enthusiasm and backing from Indian audiences. It accomplishes what a domestic competition cannot on its own; it makes football the topic of everyday discussion.”
Puskur and the other 13 ISL club chiefs, from a league that launched in 2014, are eager to capitalise on this momentum. “Our task now is to offer supporters a pathway to channel that enthusiasm toward their local team,” he adds.
Simply launching on schedule would mark progress, considering the 2025‑26 season was postponed by five months after the All India Football Federation could not secure a commercial partner once its 15‑year master rights deal with Reliance expired. The disruption forced clubs to halt activities, prompted player exits and fuelled questions about the ISL’s survival. Eventually, a shortened 13‑match season took place.
This upcoming campaign is planned to stretch over eight months featuring a complete 26‑game home‑and‑away format, and that is far from the sole cause for hope. Through a structural overhaul, the 14 clubs now manage commercial, marketing and sponsorship matters, while the AIFF — which intends to rebrand as the Bharat Football Federation — retains governance and regulatory authority. Essentially, the teams now influence their fate both on and off the field.
“This is about making a fresh start and constructing something from here,” says Shaji Prabhakaran, former general secretary of the AIFF. “The benefit is that matters have been settled early, and right now football has captured everyone’s imagination, so securing broadcasters and investment should be simpler.”
Puskur helped craft the new setup and is prepared to leverage it fully. “When you’re no longer exhausting energy battling administrative instability, you can concentrate on assembling rosters, enhancing fan engagement and forging commercial alliances,” he notes.
“That’s what sets this year apart. Under the previous structure, clubs barely had a voice in how the league was marketed and distributed. Now they directly control broadcast and sponsorship rights. It places the motivation to increase the league’s commercial worth with those who have the greatest stake in its growth.”
Reaching this point has required 12 years. When the ISL launched in 2014, its eight original teams featured marquee names like Nicolas Anelka, Alessandro Del Piero and coaches such as Peter Reid and Zico, drawing sizable attendances. Those star names, and to some degree the audiences, have faded, meaning this represents a relaunch. Club owners have grown used to financial losses, yet there is optimism that the league is now heading in a promising direction.
“Clubs must adopt a long‑term outlook and plan for four years and beyond,” Prabhakaran advises. “They need to fortify every area. The focus cannot solely be on the senior side. They have to ask themselves what they want to look like a decade from now.”
Securing the appropriate broadcasting partner is key. “The early valuation may not be lofty, but the World Cup provides a lift,” says Prabhakaran. “They require a dependable broadcaster willing to develop the product and consider monetisation three or four years down the road.”
Restoring public trust following last season is a key objective for Puskur. “Broadcasters, backers and supporters all commit more deeply when they believe the fixture list is reliable,” he says. He also urges genuine investment in youth and homegrown talent to expand the overall talent pool. “Should ISL sides prove competitive in AFC tournaments, it would transform perceptions of the entire league.”
Should everything align, then in future summers India might finally become part of the worldwide celebration. “The World Cup has galvanised the entire nation,” says Prabhakaran, “and the obvious query is: ‘Why isn’t India present?’ The next must be: ‘What actions are we taking to alter that?’ Therefore we have to back the clubs and the leagues and provide a direction for the millions of football conversations taking place now that the World Cup has finished.”
What do you feel about this post?
Like
Love
Happy
Haha
Sad
