No promotion, relegation for 10 years in proposal for top league

Draft document for discussion given to AIFF suggests five-year moratorium on expansion

- Dhiman Sarkar

KOLKATA: No promotion or relegation in Indian Super League (ISL) for at least 10 years, a moratorium on expansion for a minimum of five years, ISL's rights and that of national team matches will be in perpetuity with a joint-venture company comprising ISL clubs, All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its commercial partners Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL).

These are among the proposals in a 22-page draft document sent by FSDL to AIFF last March after meetings to negotiate a new agreement because the current commercial deal ends this year. Which means FSDL's mandate runs only till around the middle of the 2025-26 season. Talks are on hold because the matter of the new AIFF constitution, which includes ownership of India's top men's league, is in Supreme Court.

The proposal for a closed league, one where there is no promotion or relegation, is not in line with roadmap approved by Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2019. This draft proposes a new roadmap "pre-approved between existing parties."