Top India soccer league season in doubt, leaving sport in chaos
Critics blame high player salaries, lack of vision and planning for dire state
India players pose for a team group photo before the match at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar on June 11, 2024. © Reuters
JOHN DUERDEN
SEOUL -- Indian soccer is in disarray, after the organizer of the top league announced a pause to the new season due to begin in September.
The organizer, Football Sports Development, and India's governing body, All India Football Federation, has yet to reach a deal even though a multimillion 15-year contract is set to expire in December, leaving the 14-team India Super League (ISL) in doubt. According to reports, while FSDL proposed a new deal that split ownership between itself, the clubs and the AIFF, the federation preferred to receive cash.
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