Indian football hits new low in 2025 as ISL crisis deepens, results collapse

New Delhi: Indian football remained in a state of terminal decline after experiencing arguably its darkest phase in a year marked by severe administrative crisis, court hearings, financial issues, absence of domestic leagues, and a steep decline in performance of the senior men's team.

As the year drew to a close, the high-profile Lionel Messi GOAT India Tour generated some interest and forced a conversation around the sport.

The much-publicised event did what it was meant to, and was not supposed to serve as a catalyst for real improvement in Indian football.

If its own problems were not enough, the chaos and absolute disorder at Salt Lake Stadium on the first day of the Messi tour added to the embarrassment.

While the breakdown of law and order in the 'Mecca of Indian football' was not good advertisement, the remaining three legs in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi were well organised.

Of the many disappointments, one on-field moment that still stings came when little-known Bangladeshi midfielder Sheikh Morsalin darted into the box and slipped the ball between the legs of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu with a delicate touch, completing another round of humiliation.

The 11th minute strike, in an inconsequential 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying match on a November evening in Dhaka, meant the Indian senior men's team suffered its first defeat to Bangladesh in 22 years, after having struggled through the last 12 months to produce a result of any significance.

While several factors contribute to a country's overall football ecosystem, globally the senior team's performance is often the most visible metric, and India was found severely wanting on that front.

Unlike in 2024, when the team drew a blank in international matches, the Indian senior men's side did manage to churn out a few wins occasionally this year, including a bronze medal finish at the CAFA Nations Cup in the central Asian countries of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in September.

But, in the matches that mattered the most, India failed to deliver and could not qualify for the Asian Cup for the first time since the 2011 edition, following which the team plummeted further in the FIFA rankings.

Besides Bangladesh, the team also suffered defeats to other lower-ranked opponents such as Hong Kong and Singapore, a 1-2 loss to whom dashed its hopes of entering the Asian Cup following a disappointing campaign in the Qualifications.

No takers for game

While the men's team struggled on the field, especially when it came to scoring goals, the administrators grappled with issues off it.

The game remained in the middle of a crisis due to the All India Football Federation's failure to secure a new commercial partner for the Indian Super League after its previous contract with the Reliance-owned Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) expired on December 8.

On expected lines, the lack of a commercial partner has had a crippling effect on the game. The ISL, which would have been into its third month now under normal circumstances, remains on hold.

The sponsors are pulling out, clubs have put their operations on hold, players are staring at an uncertain future, after having implored each and every stakeholder to resolve the issue, and serious doubts hover over the domestic leagues' future.

The ongoing crisis has highlighted a systemic failure in the country's football ecosystem brought about by poor governance, lack of long-term vision and the absence of proper youth development programmes.

Court hearings, President's appeal, sports ministry intervention

The year was also marked by frequent hearings at the Supreme Court and intervention from the union sports ministry to resolve the crisis. Even President Droupadi Murmu asked the stakeholders of Indian football to work together for the upliftment of the game in the country, reflecting the severity of the situation.

When the Supreme Court approved the draft Constitution of the AIFF, prepared by former apex court judge L Nageswara Rao, in September, it was believed that a solution amenable to all concerned parties would finally be arrived at.

However, no such thing happened in the ensuing months.

Women and juniors shine

Amid the gloom surrounding the sport, the women's national teams and the junior squads have impressed with their performances, raising hopes of a better future. In Chiang Mai, Thailand in July, the women's team scripted history by qualifying directly for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026, a feat never achieved before.

Up against regional heavyweights and hosts Thailand in the final, the Indian women rode on Sangita Basfore's brilliant brace to emerge winners and make a statement of sorts. The achievement reminded one of former AIFF president Praful Patel's old statement that chances of the Indian women's team playing in a FIFA World Cup before their male counterparts are higher.

While the girls still have a long way to go, they are definitely moving in the right direction.

In another milestone, Indian Women's League reigning champions East Bengal FC became the first team from the country to win a main-draw match in the AFC Women's Champions League, helping the side earn a direct spot in the league stages of the next edition.

As far as the junior teams were concerned, the India squad lifted its seventh SAFF U-17 Championship title in Sri Lanka, edging out Bangladesh in a dramatic final that went to penalties after a 2–2 stalemate.

Under the guidance of Bibiano Fernandes, India then shocked continental giants Iran 2-1 to qualify for their 10th U-17 Asian Cup finals, even as the struggle to monetise the sport continued without a solution in sight.