Before India's courts and federations took over the headlines, the heart of Indian football lived on its local grounds.

"Earlier, a player in Mumbai could play 100, 120 matches in the entire season," Henry Menezes, former India goalkeeper and longtime football administrator tells DW. "Competitive matches, local grounds, different tournaments — he had the option to play."

That system once formed the backbone of Indian football. District and state leagues fed into national tournaments, and professional players could climb step by step — from district clubs to state teams and eventually the national setup.

The Indian Super League (ISL) changed all that, breaking away from the national system more than a decade ago. It has been drifting further from the base of the pyramid that once produced its players ever since. Now, with the ISL on the verge of collapse, Indian football is at a crossroads.

A league in limbo

This summer, India's Supreme Court stepped into football's biggest fight. It ordered the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to run an open tender for commercial rights to the Indian Super League, ending the decade-long exclusive arrangement with its private operator.

The order came after months of uncertainty that saw the 2025–26 season placed on hold, clubs delay payments and the league's leadership locked in negotiation. The federation has set an October 15 deadline for new bids to run the competition. If that fails, India's top division could lose an entire season.

The ISL, launched in 2014 as a franchise-style competition, brought global stars and sponsorship money but created a parallel system outside the traditional football ladder. Its 15-year commercial deal with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) — a Reliance and Star India venture — expires next year. Talks on renewal stalled, and the dispute ended up in court.

Menezes says the confusion reflects a deeper structural gap. "In one column you have the Indian Olympic Association and the other column is the federation," he said. "We have to actually merge and get into the right frame of things to carry forward. That is one of the reasons why everything went topsy-turvy with the ISL coming to a standstill."

For now, the court's order for an open tender means a reset is inevitable — but what it will look like remains unclear.

Politics, power and a legacy of control

This governance crisis is just the latest chapter in a troubled sport in India. Many senior AIFF and state officials also hold political office, blurring the line between administration and influence. In 2022, the football federation was suspended by FIFA for what it called "third-party interference."

Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia has called the federation "rotten to the core." 

Menezes takes a more measured tone but doesn't deny politics plays a major role. "The federation has become more professional," he said, noting improvements in management structures. "A leader in politics can bring big tournaments and make things easier. Yet, that same system slows down change."

A broken pyramid

Before looking to the future of the ISL, it's worth considering its greatest legacy might be the broken connection between grassroots and the professional game. "A district champion cannot go beyond the district," Menezes said. "There is no upgrade."

At the same time, participation among children has exploded. "In the grassroots we talk about baby leagues where participation of kids in football from the age of 9 up to 17 have increased many folds," Menezes continued. "It has become a business by itself. Every kid wants to play football."

That split creates a paradox: the sport has never been more popular, yet routes for young players to climb the ladder are blocked. Private academies and independent coaches have filled the gap once managed by clubs and state associations.

What next for the ISL?

Few expect the ISL to vanish. The federation and its commercial partners have strong incentives to strike a new deal. Menezes believes whoever the new deal is with, it must be different from what has come before.

"We need professionals," Menezes said, adding that the federation alone lacks the marketing expertise to make the league viable. The former player also believes the introduction of promotion and relegation would add further accountability.

It's time for Indian football to make the games on the field the deciding factor, and to reestablish trust with community clubs, where tens of thousands of supporters come to support, Menezes adds. While this is true for clubs like Kerala Blasters or Mohun Bagan, many others struggle to bring in major crowds as most of the country's football fans prefer to watch the English Premier League instead of the domestic game.

The AIFF's tender process will decide whether the league restarts soon or whether reforms reshape its model altogether. Menezes believes the goal should be simple: professionalism guided by structure, and governance balanced by transparency.

"The federation needs professionals who understand business, and the investors must respect the football structure," he said. "If both come together, India can finally have a sustainable league."

"This is a chance to fix what was missing. If we get it right now, Indian football can finally start moving in one direction — forward."

Edited by: Jonathan Harding