Kolkata : FIFPRO Asia/Oceania released a statement on Friday asking Indian Super League clubs to respect the players’ contractual entitlements.
The ISL 2025-26 season will start on February 14, five months later than originally scheduled. This situation has left many players without pay for a considerable amount of time.
“Many have been forced to rely on personal savings, take short-term contracts in state leagues, or seek alternative employment simply to support themselves and their families,” FIFPRO Asia/Oceania said in its official statement.
“Despite these extraordinary challenges, players have continued to demonstrate Incredible professionalism. Alarmingly, FIFPRO Asia/Oceania has resed recent reports that several clubs are pressuring contracted players into accepting salary reductions.
“Such actions undermine essential protections enshrined in the FIFA and AIFF Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP), which require clubs to honour their financial commitments and prevent unilateral changes to their employment contracts,” it added.
“While FIFPRO Asia/Oceania and the Football Players’ Association of India (FPAI respect any agreement voluntarily entered into between players and clubs and encourage good faith negotiations, it underlines that any attempt to coerce players into amending their terms represents abusive practice under the FIFA and AIFF BSTP. Any player subjected to this can rely upon the full support of PFAI and FIFPRO.
“The league’s restart must not come at the expense of players’ fundamental rights.
“FIFPRO and FIFPRO Asia/Oceania remain committed to working with all parties to restore Integrity, stability, and respect for players’ contracts within Indian football,” it added.
All 14 Indian Super League (ISL) teams confirmed their participation and home venues for the 2025-26 season on Monday.
The ISL, the men’s top flight in India, has been shrouded in uncertainty since the Master Rights Agreement between Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) ended on December 8.
Neither could the AIFF and FSDL agree on a future deal, nor did a fresh tender for a new commercial partner attract a bidder, keeping the league on hold for at least four months.
The deadlock finally broke on January 5, when the Sports Ministry sat with all stakeholders, and it was decided that the league would happen with a truncated schedule in a single-leg home-and-away format.
The ISL clubs and the Federation will sit together this week to finalise the upcoming season’s fixtures.
According to the new schedule, 91 matches will be played in a truncated schedule between February 14 and May 31. Each team will play 13 matches, with half of them – six or seven – played at their respective home venues and the rest scheduled on the road.
