Indian Football on the Rebound: Super Cup Set for October Launch!

Exciting Developments in Indian Football

New Delhi: The landscape of Indian football is gradually stabilizing as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced that the Super Cup is scheduled to take place from October 25. This decision comes alongside the approval of a Request for Quotation (RFQ) aimed at selecting an agency responsible for managing the tender process for the Indian Super League.

In compliance with a Supreme Court directive issued on September 2, the AIFF is tasked with implementing necessary actions to ensure the timely commencement of the Indian football calendar. This includes the urgent need to secure a new commercial partner, following unsuccessful negotiations for a Master Rights Agreement with the AIFF.

The tender process will be supervised by a committee comprising former Supreme Court judge L. Nageswara Rao, Kesavaran Murugasu from the Audit & Compliance Committee of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey.

During a virtual meeting on September 6, 2025, the AIFF Executive Committee approved the RFQ process for selecting an agency to manage and monetize AIFF’s commercial assets for a limited duration.

To facilitate the selection, a three-member Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) has been established, chaired by Justice L. Nageswara Rao, alongside Murugasu and Chaubey.

The AIFF has also confirmed the Super Cup dates, enabling clubs to commence their pre-season training while the governing body progresses with the tender process, aiming for the league to kick off after the domestic tournament concludes.

Furthermore, the AIFF’s MRA Task Force Committee, formed during the Executive Committee meeting on April 7, 2025, will persist as the Tender Committee to assess the recommendations from the professional services firm.

The Super Cup is set to unfold from October 25, 2025, to November 22, 2025, in a phased approach, as stated in the AIFF's announcement.