Final judgment on AIFF draft constitution case to be pronounced on September 19

The finalisation of the new AIFF constitution is mandatory before October 30 to avoid another FIFA ban.

The much-awaited judgment on the AIFF draft constitution case will be pronounced on Friday, September 19, 2025, by the Supreme Court.

The bench of Justice Sri Narasimha & Justice A. S. Chandurkar will do the pronouncement, scheduled for 10:30 AM tomorrow. Justice Sri Narasimha and Justice Joymalya Bagchi have earlier presided over the hearings of this case.

This AIFF draft constitution case has been going on since 2017, which has led to multiple litigations, creating hurdles in the functioning of the federation, which has also drawn FIFA’s attention.

The global football governing body recently made it clear that the draft constitution should be finalised by October 30, 2025, to avoid the possibility of another ban for India.

Recently, in an interim order, the apex court allowed AIFF to make headway with finding a commercial partner to set the next Indian Super League season in motion. There has been positive development on that front, with AIFF prepared to issue the fresh tender.

Also Read: AIFF appoints KPMG to manage tender process to monetize commercial rights

New constitution to decide the course of Indian Football

The draft constitution, which has been in the making for quite some time, has provisions that can stir a change in the Indian Football landscape. The draft constitution, reportedly, envisions transformational changes in the structure and functioning of the All India Football Federation and state federations.

Another important thing to look forward to is whether the court, along with the pronouncement of the final judgment on the draft constitution, orders a fresh election in the AIFF, as has been requested by several involved parties.

Prashant Bhushan, representing Delhi FC, and Bhaichung Bhutia’s representative reminded the apex court in the last hearing that a new election should be held, claiming that the current AIFF administration was only appointed for an interim period of three months. However, it has been more than three years since they have been presiding over the matters of the federation.

But an order directing new AIFF elections might provoke the ire of FIFA, which can view this as third-party intervention. FIFA does not view the current administration as interim, and if their interpretation is challenged, Indian Football might tread down the path of a ban again.

India has already faced a ban in 2022 for similar reasons that shook the ecosystem. Another FIFA ban would be catastrophic as it would bar Indian teams, on the international and club level, from participating in any global or AFC competitions.

Also Read: What could be the impact of another FIFA ban on Indian Football?

Draft constitution – the root cause of chaos

It was the delay in the conclusion of the draft constitution case that prevented AIFF from progressing with the negotiations over the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with the commercial partner Football Sports Development Private Limited (FSDL). The MRA is set to expire in December this year.

The Supreme Court had restrained the federation from taking any substantial decisions, which also included the MRA negotiations. This lack of authority at AIFF’s disposal to sit for negotiations dissuaded FSDL, which refused to proceed with the new Indian Super League season in the absence of a clear roadmap.

The judgment on the AIFF draft constitution will clear several roadblocks, paving the way for a hassle-free administration of football in India. The draft constitution, which delves deep into aspects like transparency and conflict of interest, could clear the murky waters of Indian Football.

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