With the 2025‑26 Indian Super League (ISL) season finally set to kick off after a long delay, Bengaluru FC owner Parth Jindal has made a stark appeal to players, saying clubs face a difficult future unless players are willing to make sacrifices to support the league’s continuation.
Context: ISL Delay and Financial Pressure
The ISL’s 2025‑26 season has been delayed for months after the league’s Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with organisers FSDL expired in December 2025 and a commercial partner could not be secured. This left the All India Football Federation (AIFF) scrambling to find a new revenue deal, forcing top‑tier Indian football into uncertainty.
Sports Minister **Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed the league will begin on February 14, 2026, with all 14 clubs participating — a welcome announcement for fans. However, the financial strain remains intense due to the lack of a commercial rights partner to help cover operating costs. The Times of India+1
Jindal’s Appeal: “Players Will Need to Sacrifice”
Parth Jindal took to social media (X) to highlight the burden clubs face as they gear up for the abbreviated season. He emphasized that ISL franchises must share about 60 percent of costs to play under the current structure, and that this expense — estimated at around ₹25 crore — places significant pressure on club finances.
“We are in this for the love of football and to see our country play the beautiful game,” Jindal wrote, stressing that clubs are already making “tremendous sacrifices” and hoping players will also understand and contribute to easing the burden.
Although he did not specify exactly what form these sacrifices would take, reports suggest it may involve salary reductions for this season’s campaign, a move that could help clubs manage costs but isn’t likely to be popular with players.
Struggles Across Indian Football
Jindal’s comments reflect a wider financial strain affecting Indian football. Some clubs have already faced difficult decisions in recent months. Before the February 14 announcement, reigning champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant suspended their football operations due to uncertainty over the league’s future, illustrating how serious the situation has become for top teams.
There have been reports of salary suspensions and contract reviews at various clubs as the prolonged lull in competitive football has taken a toll. One earlier example saw Bengaluru FC suspend player salaries temporarily amid the ISL’s prolonged uncertainty, a stark demonstration of how fragile club economics have become without a stable revenue framework.
Impact on Players and Fans
India’s most prominent footballers, including former national captain Sunil Chhetri and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, are part of Bengaluru FC’s squad, and their futures in the short term now hinge on how this transitional season unfolds.
Chhetri and others, along with several high‑profile foreign players, have previously expressed concern about the uncertainty, calling on governing bodies like FIFA for clarity and action to protect the sport’s ecosystem.
Fans have likewise been eager for clarity. The delayed season disrupted plans for supporters and broadcasters alike, pushing the ISL — once seen as India’s marquee football competition — into unfamiliar territory. The return of competitive fixtures provides relief, but the calls for sacrifice suggest that getting back on the field may come with costs off it.
AIFF’s Role and Next Steps
The AIFF continues efforts to secure a commercial partner through another tender process. Its current plan involves the federation contributing a portion of funding and seeking government support if needed to keep the league running.
How players react to Jindal’s appeal could shape the season’s narrative. If clubs and players reach a workable compromise, the truncated 2025‑26 ISL could offer a renewed chapter for Indian football. If not, the appeal for sacrifices may go down as a defining moment in a period of upheaval for the sport in India.
Conclusion: A Fragile Football Ecosystem
Parth Jindal’s stark message highlights the financial fragility of Indian football at the elite level in the absence of sustainable commercial partnerships. His appeal to players to share the burden underlines the pressures clubs face to survive and suggests that beyond tactics and talent, economics may play a decisive role in defining the future shape of the ISL.
