AIFF issues RFP for media rights for 2025-26 ISL

New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Sunday issued the Request for Proposal (RFP) document for broadcast rights relating to the truncated Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 season, beginning on February 14.

The delayed season featuring all 14 clubs will have 91 matches played on home and away basis. The decks were cleared after several rounds of negotiation between the AIFF and the clubs along with the intervention of the sports ministry.

The last date to seek clarifications by the bidders is January 27, while the deadline for submission of bids is February 1. The bids will be opened on February 2 as per the RFP.

The bidder must have net worth of at least Rs 10 crore "at the close of Financial Year preceding the Bid Due Date i.e. FY 2024-2025" to be eligible for selection.

In case of a consortium, the aggregate net worth of all the consortium members shall be a minimum of Rs 10 crore.

The bidder must have a minimum average annual revenue of Rs 10 crore over the last three completed financial years, i.e. FY 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.

The bidder must have experience in broadcasting, or streaming live sporting events of national or international repute for at least three continuous years prior to the Bid Submission Date.

It must also have produced and/or distributed or procured the production and/or distribution of live broadcast feeds for at least one event sanctioned by a national sports federation, or one professional sports league in India for a minimum of two full seasons.

The Bidder shall furnish along with its bid, a security/earnest money deposit (EMD) of Rs 5 lakh, valid for a period of 45 days from the Bid Due Date.

It must be validly incorporated under the laws of India and be an existing entity in the country. Foreign entities interested in participating may submit their bid, provided that they are validly incorporated and registered under the applicable laws of their jurisdiction.

"In cases where a foreign entity is participating as part of a Consortium, the Lead Member of such Consortium shall either be incorporated in India or shall undertake to establish a subsidiary in India before the execution of the Contract with AIFF," according to the bid document.

"Foreign entities bidding independently shall submit an affidavit confirming that they shall establish a subsidiary or branch office in India prior to execution of the Contract and that they hold, or will obtain in a timely manner, all telecommunications, uplink/downlink, OTT and regulatory permissions necessary to perform the Broadcast Services." The ISL 2025-26 was thrown into disarray after its previous organiser and the AIFF's former commercial partner, FSDL, ended the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with the national federation on December 8 last year, following disagreement between the two parties regarding its renewal.

A tender was floated by the AIFF for the selection of a new commercial partner under the supervision of a Supreme Court-appointed committee but it found no takers.

But after the intervention of the sports minister and through some tough negotiations, all the 14 clubs confirmed participation in the truncated ISL season. Each club will play 13 matches and the fixtures are likely to be announced soon.

The ISL clubs are required to share 60 per cent of the financial cost (around Rs 1 crore per club) for the league to start after a nearly six months long pause. The total cost for the upcoming season has been pegged at Rs 25 crore by the AIFF. PTI PDS PDS DDV