ISL fails to attract any bids, plunging Indian Football into crisis
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) plunged into unprecedented uncertainty after its tender for the Indian Super League (ISL) ended without attracting a single bid. Once hailed as the cornerstone of football’s growth in India, the ISL’s inability to find an investor has exposed severe structural and financial vulnerabilities across the sport’s ecosystem.
The AIFF’s attempt to secure a new partner for broadcasting, sponsorship, and merchandising rights began with optimism in October. Four parties signalled interest and participated in the pre-bid meeting, pressing the federation for clarity on revenue and operations. However, the initial excitement fizzled out as the deadline approached, leaving the tender box empty. Key concerns among potential bidders included the financial structure of the league, vague revenue-sharing proposals, and fears over long-term planning and club income streams.
Central to the problem was the federation’s demand: a minimum annual payment of Rs 37.5 crore or 5 percent of gross revenue for 15 years, combined with operational responsibilities from league production to grassroots development. Experts described these terms as untenable for a league still struggling to stabilize viewership and commercial returns. The result is a vacuum in leadership and funding for Indian football at a critical juncture, just after the men’s national team failed to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup.
With no commercial partner or stable financial plan, the ISL’s future, India’s broader football ambitions now hangs in the balance. Grassroots programmes, national teams, and league administration face immediate disruption. Trust between the AIFF and its stakeholders continues to erode, fueled further by last minute governance controversies, including a Supreme Court petition against the bid committee’s leadership. The failed tender signals challenges much larger than one league, raising urgent questions about the direction and credibility of Indian football’s administrators.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
