East Bengal players celebrate with the trophy after their team's victory in the Indian Super League match against Inter Kashi. | Photo Credit: PTI

All the Indian Super League clubs, on Friday in a joint statement, urged the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for clarity on the next ISL season.

The 2025-26 season came to an end on Thursday with East Bengal clinching its maiden ISL crown at the end of a truncated season, which saw the 14 clubs play 13 games each after the campaign had seen delay in its start.

“With deep concern and disappointment, the clubs of the Indian Super League wish to state that, given the continued uncertainty surrounding professional football in India, we are now compelled to review the extent of our commitment to the league beyond the current season,” the joint statement began.

“Our clubs have consistently invested in Indian football, often in difficult and uncertain circumstances, and remain deeply committed to its future. However, the continued absence of structural certainty, commercial clarity and long-term visibility has made it increasingly difficult to justify the financial and operational commitments required to compete sustainably.

“Indian football has the foundation to be far greater than it is today. It is therefore disappointing that those who have built, funded, promoted and sustained the league continue to face uncertainty over the very structure within which they are expected to operate.

“At the heart of Indian football’s future must be a financially sustainable league. The clubs have proposed an alternative model which we believe is credible, constructive and worthy of being evaluated on merit, alongside any other proposal before the AIFF.

“We urge the AIFF to acknowledge the realities faced by those funding and operating the league, and work collaboratively towards a framework that is sustainable, inclusive and built with all stakeholders in mind,” it ended.

Published on May 22, 2026