AIFF officially float tender for ISL commercial partner; bids to open on November 5

The agreement will be valid for 15 seasons, beginning in December 2025.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has officially released the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the commercial rights of Indian football, which includes the Indian Super League (ISL).

The 15-year deal will replace the existing Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), set to expire on December 8, 2025.

Following the Supreme Court’s interim directive dated September 4, 2025, AIFF initiated this process to secure a financially sound partner to manage and monetise Indian football’s commercial ecosystem.

🚨 AIFF issues RFQ for monetisation of commercial rights 🔊Volume 1️⃣ 👉 https://t.co/MEAjENkvpHVolume 2️⃣ 👉 https://t.co/CPLrl2ALf8#IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/sBbSvzbJqJ

— Indian Football (@IndianFootball) October 16, 2025

With KPMG managing the tender process, the federation has scheduled the opening of bids for the commercial rights tender on November 5, 2025.

Exclusive rights to be awarded

As per Clause 3.1 of Volume II of AIFF’s RFP, the selected company will receive “exclusive rights to monetise all commercial properties of AIFF within and outside India for the Term.”

These rights include sponsorship, broadcast, digital, advertising, merchandising, and data exploitation associated with the Indian Super League (ISL) and other competitions.

In addition, Clause 4 (Consideration) and Schedule 1 mandate that the partner must pay AIFF a minimum annual guaranteed amount of ₹37.5 crore or 5% of gross revenue, whichever is higher. Payments will begin on December 10, 2025, and delays will incur 12% annual interest as per Clause 4.5.

AIFF have released the RFP for commercial rights of the federation, a 15-year deal with a minimum annual value of ₹37.5 crore or 5% of gross revenue (whichever is higher). #IndianFootball #ISL @KhelNow

— Ashish Negi (@7negiashish) October 16, 2025

Promotion and relegation, as stated in Annex B of Volume I, will begin from the 2025–26 season with a parachute payment mechanism to support relegated clubs financially.

Also Read: ISL clubs raise concerns over delay in AIFF’s commercial tender process

Company eligibility and financial requirements

According to Clauses 2.1 (a–d) of Volume I, bidders must meet specific eligibility criteria. They must:

• Be a registered Indian entity (Company/LLP/Partnership/Proprietorship) with valid GST and PAN.
• Have a minimum of five years of continuous operation.
• Possess a net worth of at least ₹250 crore.
• Have experience in five comparable assignments across three distinct clients within the last five years.

Under Clause 2.1 of Volume II, the winning bidder must provide a Performance Security equal to three times the first-year guaranteed payment within 30 days of signing the agreement. If not submitted, Clause 2.2 gives AIFF the right to terminate the contract immediately.

The process will be supervised by the Bid Evaluation Committee, chaired by Justice L. Nageswara Rao (Retd.), along with Kesavaran Murugasu (AFC) and AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey. Bids will be opened on November 5, 2025, as per Section 5 of Volume I (Timeline).

Contract validity and partnership duration

Under Clause 1.1 (Term) in Volume II, the agreement will run for 15 seasons, beginning with the 2025–26 ISL season and extending until the 2039–40 season unless terminated earlier under Clause 13 (Termination).

The RFP further states that no franchise fees will be charged. Instead, per Schedule 7 (Volume I), founding clubs will share 10% of their annual revenue with AIFF, while new clubs will contribute 20%.

This clause aims to create a financially inclusive structure that rewards long-term participation and maintains a balance between established and incoming teams.

Minimum value and grassroots funding clauses

Schedule 1 and Clause 4.3 clearly outline the minimum guaranteed value and payment structure, while Schedule 6 (Development Clause) ensures that the commercial partner invests in the game’s future.

The selected bidder must allocate 2.5% of gross revenues for the first five years and 5% thereafter toward grassroots and youth football development programs. These contributions will be monitored annually through audited reports submitted to AIFF.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.