Future of Indian Football in Doldrums

As the crisis surrounding the Indian Super League (ISL) continues with the tenders floated by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for the league’s new commercial rights having failed to attract any bidders, future of many football clubs and players hang in balance. There is no denying that football has opened a new vista for the youths of Northeast India, whose representation in the ISL since its inception 15 years ago has been significant. The estimated number of players from the region playing in each season over the years is approximately 100, which is roughly one-third of all Indian players in the league. It opened new avenue for livelihood. There are many more footballers from the region who earn well by playing for I-league clubs and local leagues in various states. However, due lack of vision and poor management by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), these footballers are likely to be hit hard, both in terms of harnessing their skills and financially as the fate of top leagues are in limbo. Almost all the football clubs in the country, apart from the four qualified for the Super Cup semifinals, have stopped practicing to avoid financial losses. Although they have not officially released their foreign recruits, it’s certain that starting December the clubs will allow them to find suitable clubs during the January transfer window. Such a step will bring a premature end to this year’s football season, as even if the federation decides to start the tournament from January onwards, many clubs will find difficult to build formidable teams as all their recruits by then will become free agents. New agreements will have to be signed if the clubs want to have their services once again, which is an expensive affair.

Football has been neglected in the country for a long time with little effort made to develop the standard of the game. This is why India, whose men's football team finished fourth at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, have not achieved any major success in the game after winning the Bronze in the 1970 Asian Games and the Junior Asian Championship (jointly with Iran) in 1974. While other football playing nations have made considerable progress, Indian football has touched its nadir, even failing to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2027. Now, with the future of the domestic league in doldrums, the prospects of Indian footballers and the very game look dim. As the governing body of football in the country, AIFF should make sincere efforts to restore the lost glory of Indian football. Disrupting the momentum built up over the year will be costly for Indian football.