Indian Super League to restart on February 14 with all 14 clubs

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that the Indian Super League will restart on February 14 with all 14 clubs participating. The I-League will also resume around the same time. AIFF will provide Rs 14 crore to conduct the ISL

New Delhi: Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday announced that the Indian Super League, which was on pause due to lack of a commercial partner, will restart on February 14.

The ISL will feature all 14 clubs. The I-League, which was also on pause, will be held “around the same time” with all 11 clubs participating.

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“There was a lot of speculation regarding ISL but today the government, football federation and 14 clubs, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal included, had a meeting and we have decided that ISL will start February 14. All clubs will participate,” Mandaviya announced.

Joining him at the resolution table was All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Kalyan Chaubey, who explained the details after the Minister’s announcement.

The ISL will feature 91 matches on a home-and-away basis, the logistics of which are still being worked out.

The I-League will be a truncated event with 55 matches.

“A Rs 25 crore central pool has been made only for the conduct of the ISL. Ten percent of this fund will come from AIFF, 30 percent was to come from a commercial partner but since we don’t have one right now, the AIFF will pitch in with that contribution,” Chaubey said.

“In all, the AIFF will give Rs 14 crore for ISL and about Rs 3.2 crore for I-League till we find a commercial partner,” he added.

Chaubey said a Governing Council Board will be formed to manage the leagues eventually and it will be “empowered to take all commercial decisions.”