Sunil Chhetri's Desperate Plea: Why Indian Football Needs Its Season Now

In a joint statement, the top players of the country came together to issue a plea for the commencement of India's top-flight football tournament.

"We, professional footballers who play in the Indian Super League, are coming together to make a plea, and more importantly to send the message that we stand united in our efforts to get the Indian Super League season underway. To put it simply, we want to play, and now," Chhetri wrote in an Instagram post which was shared by many footballers in the country including Sandesh Jhingan, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and Lallianzuala Chhangte.

The unified plea underscores the deepening unease within India’s football fraternity as the ISL, which typically kicks off by September, remains in limbo well into November. With the AIFF’s recent tender for the league’s commercial rights failing to attract even a single bidder, the resulting stalemate has cast serious doubt over the ISL’s immediate future and left its stakeholders mired in uncertainty.

"Our anger, frustration and distress has now been replaced by desperation. Desperation to play the game we love, in front of people who mean everything to us our families, our fans," the joint statement read.

"This is a plea to all those involved in running our sport in the country, to do whatever it takes to get the football season underway. India needs its competitive football now more than ever.

"As for us, we remain committed, professional and ready to walk out of that tunnel and onto the pitch the moment we're told we can. All we ask of those running our beautiful game, to match our desperation with honest intent. We've found ourselves in a very dark tunnel for long. We could do with a little light," it added.

The AIFF's failed tender to secure a new commercial partner — with no bidders coming forward by the November 7 deadline — has plunged the league into crisis. The fallout has been severe: players have gone months without competitive football, several clubs, including Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Kerala Blasters, have halted training, and others, such as Chennaiyin FC and Inter Kashi, have suspended operations and delayed salaries.

Facing growing pressure, the AIFF plans to move the Supreme Court to seek modifications to the ISL’s governing framework. Justice L. Nageswara Rao, appointed by the Court to oversee AIFF affairs, has held talks with officials to chart a way out of the impasse.

- IANS