AIFF forms 3-member panel headed by Justice Rao to oversee selection of new commercial partner

New Delhi, Sep 7 (PTI) The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has formed a three-member committee headed by former judge Justice L Nageswara Rao to oversee the entire tender process for selecting its new commercial partner as per a directive of the Supreme Court.

The September 2 order of the SC, before which a case relating to the constitution of the AIFF is pending, had also cleared the way for conducting the Indian Super League (ISL) which had been put on hold since July 11 by the event organisers FSDL, who are also the current commercial partners of the national federation.

"To oversee the selection process, the Executive Committee (of the AIFF) resolved to form a three-member Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC). The BEC will be chaired by Hon'ble Justice L Nageswara Rao, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India," the AIFF said in a statement on Sunday.

The other two officials of the committee are Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Audit and Compliance Committee member Kesavaran Murugasu and AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey.

The SC had said that Justice Rao can appoint one or two professionals to assist him in the process of finalising the AIFF's commercial partner.

The decision to form the three-member committee was taken by the AIFF Executive Committee after a virtual meeting on Saturday. The AIFF also decided to hold the Super Cup tournament -- a domestic tournament open to clubs across multiple tiers -- from October 25 to November 22 in a phased manner.

"(the executive committee) approved the Federation's Request for Quotation (RFQ) process for selecting an agency to manage and award the rights to monetise AIFF's commercial properties for a limited term," the AIFF said.

The duration of the commercial rights, it is learnt, will be a matter of internal discussion and likely to be multi-year and not too short. It is expected to be as per global best practices.

Additionally, the AIFF said its Task Force Committee on the Master Rights Agreement (MRA), which was constituted at the Executive Committee meeting on April 7 this year "will continue as the Tender Committee to evaluate the recommendations of the professional services firm".

Crisis surfaced in the country's domestic game after ISL organisers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) put the 2025-26 season "on hold" on July 11 due to uncertainty over the renewal of the MRA with the national federation, prompting at least three clubs to either pause first-team operations or suspend player and staff salaries.

The 15-year MRA, signed in 2010, expires in December.

During a hearing before the SC last month, the AIFF and FSDL submitted a consensual resolution to conduct an open, competitive and transparent tender (or equivalent process) for selection of a commercial partner to conduct the ISL in line with global best practices.

The AIFF and the FSDL agreed that the process will be concluded by October 15, 2025, thereby providing certainty to clubs, broadcasters, sponsors and other stakeholders. Subject to the consent of the AFC, the ISL season can thereafter commence in December, they had told the court.

The agreement between the two parties came a couple of days after the world football governing body FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation threatened an international ban on India, issuing a stern ultimatum to the AIFF that it must adopt and ratify a new constitution by October 30 or risk suspension.

In the resolution submitted to the SC, FSDL has agreed to: "Waive its contractual Right of First Negotiation and Right to Match under the MRA dated 08 December 2010." It will also "Issue a No Objection Certificate to AIFF for the conduct of an open, competitive and transparent tender (or equivalent process)." FSDL also confirmed that it shall not object to the exercise of rights in relation to the ISL by any new rights holder (if any) during the subsistence of the MRA.

Under the existing MRA, the FSDL pays Rs 50 crore annually, and it confirmed that it has duly discharged the July-September quarterly rights fee of Rs 12.5 crore on August 18, 2025.

FSDL also agreed to advance the final tranche of the rights fee of Rs 12.5 crore (October-December 2025), if required by AIFF. PTI PDS PDS AH AH