Indian Super League Faces Massive Revenue Collapse

After much anticipation and a series of dramatic developments, India’s premier domestic football tournament, the Indian Super League (ISL), is finally set to take the field once again. While the league has successfully sold its broadcasting rights, the revenue picture has taken a staggering hit, signalling a potential financial crisis for the sport’s governing body.

For the upcoming season, FanCode has secured the rights to broadcast ISL matches for ₹8.62 crore. Under this deal, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) will receive just ₹9.5 lakh per match. By comparison, over the past ten seasons, the federation earned approximately ₹275 crore annually from broadcasting, meaning this new arrangement represents a loss of ₹266.38 crore—almost 97 per cent less than previous revenue.

In prior seasons, the ISL hosted 163 matches per season, with the AIFF earning roughly ₹1.68 crore per match. Under the new deal, match-by-match revenue has fallen by 95 per cent, reflecting the enormous scale of the decline.

The contrast with Indian cricket is even more stark. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) earns exponentially more from the Indian Premier League (IPL). In fact, AIFF’s new ISL revenue is 5,613 times lower than what BCCI earns from IPL broadcasting rights. On a per-match basis, an IPL game commands 1,242 times the value of an ISL fixture.

The table below illustrates the dramatic disparity:

Experts warn that such a severe revenue collapse could have far-reaching consequences for Indian football. Clubs may face tighter budgets, player salaries could be affected, and investments in grassroots development or league expansion may be curtailed.

Analysts suggest that for ISL to remain financially viable, innovative strategies are required. Expanding international broadcasting, enhancing digital streaming offerings, and attracting high-profile sponsorships could help mitigate losses and ensure the league’s long-term sustainability. Otherwise, India’s marquee football tournament risks losing ground both domestically and on the global stage.

With the season approaching, all eyes will be on how the AIFF and participating clubs navigate this unprecedented financial challenge while maintaining the competitive and entertainment value of the league.