New Delhi: Amid ongoing uncertainty over the future of the Indian Super League (ISL), All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey has confirmed that the country’s top-flight football league will be held this year. However, Chaubey stated that the AIFF would not intervene in the internal matters of ISL clubs, including issues of payment to players and staff.

This assurance follows several ISL clubs suspending their first-team operations indefinitely after the 2025-26 ISL season was put on hold by the league’s organisers, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), due to the unresolved status of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with the AIFF. The 15-year MRA between FSDL and AIFF, signed in 2010, is set to expire on December 18.

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In a meeting with club CEOs in New Delhi to discuss the state of Indian football, Chaubey reaffirmed the ISL’s scheduling for this year but did not comment on the suspension of club operations. "The ISL will be held this year. There is no doubt about that,” he said. He added, “At the same time, it's the club's decision to pay their players or staff. We can't intervene – that's how all top leagues operate.”

To ensure ISL clubs have enough competitive action amid uncertainty over the league’s resumption, Chaubey also proposed that the Super Cup be scheduled for the second or third week of September. “We are anticipating the Super Cup to take place in the second or third week of September. Some teams need six to eight weeks to complete their preparations and bring back players. In our next meeting, we'll announce the kick-off date,” he said.

The Super Cup, which replaced the Federation Cup in 2018, has mostly been held in Bhubaneswar, except for the 2023 edition in Kerala. In the most recent tournament, FC Goa won the title under coach Manolo Marquez, defeating Jamshedpur FC, led by current Indian team head coach Khalid Jamil, in the final.

The Super Cup winners this year will earn a spot in the preliminary round of the AFC Champions League Two, providing an important international opportunity amid ongoing domestic football uncertainty.

With inputs from IANS