Indian Football Crisis: AIFF, ISL Clubs Meet Again, No Resolution on Funding, AFC Slots

• AIFF and ISL clubs met to discuss the 2025-26 season, but failed to reach a clear outcome on funding, scheduling, and Asian competition qualification.
• The upcoming ISL season will adopt a centralised format (2-3 venues) instead of home-and-away due to time constraints, with final dates unconfirmed.
• Clubs raised concerns about AIFF's financial capacity to run the league after FSDL's commercial partnership ended, with no new sponsor found.
• India's two AFC Champions League Two slots are at risk as the proposed 15-match centralised ISL model violates AFC's 24-match, home-and-away rule.
• AIFF plans to seek an exemption from AFC, citing "extraordinary circumstances," while the ISL season remains delayed due to lack of a commercial partner.

Why It Matters: Indian football faces deep uncertainty as AIFF and ISL clubs fail to agree on key issues, risking AFC slots.