Indian Footballers Plead FIFA: 'Save Us From Humanitarian, Economic Crisis'

• Top Indian footballers, including Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan, and Sunil Chhetri, appealed to FIFA via video to intervene in the ongoing crisis.
• The Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League have not started, impacting thousands of livelihoods and creating a 'humanitarian, sporting, and economic crisis'.
• The crisis stems from AIFF's failure to renew its commercial partner FSDL's contract and inability to secure a new one, leading to 'permanent paralysis'.
• Players describe their appeal as a 'last-ditch effort' for rescue, urging FIFA in Zurich to provide clarity, protection, and a future for Indian football.
• ISL clubs have offered to participate in the delayed 2025-26 season without a participation fee, provided AIFF assumes financial responsibility for the league.

Why It Matters: Indian footballers urge FIFA to rescue the sport from a severe crisis caused by AIFF's failures.