Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is likely to pause relegation for a year in the Indian Super League (ISL) after the participating teams were reduced from 14 to 13.The top tier league will have 13 teams this season following the failure of Diamond Harbour FC to pay the participation fee of Rs 1.1 crore. The Kolkata-based side earned promotion to the top tier after winning the Indian Football League (IFL) last season, but their inability to pay the full fee, despite the first instalment of Rs 55 lakh being adjusted with their prize money, meant they were left out.“Diamond Harbour can be considered to have withdrawn from the ISL and consequently relegated,” a senior AIFF official told TOI. “Last season, Churchill Brothers did not participate (in the IFL) and were relegated.”The absence of Diamond Harbour among the participating teams has prompted clubs to now seek clarity from AIFF.“Could you please advise whether relegation will apply this season, given the reduction from 14 to 13 participating clubs?,” FC Goa CEO Ravi Puskur, on behalf of the ISL managing committee, wrote in an email to AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan on Thursday. “We would be grateful if AIFF could share formal written communication confirming its position on this, so that we can interpret and apply it correctly within the league rules and fixture planning.”The AIFF is yet to respond. Sources, however, said the federation may not be averse to keeping relegation on hold, subject to approval from its league committee and the executive committee.According to the AIFF constitution, “seniormost top division league shall mean the league competition owned, operated, and recognised by the AIFF, that implements the principles of promotion and relegation, and meets all requirements by the AFC for being eligible to obtain a direct slot in the Asian Champions League.”Since its launch in 2014, first as a three-month tournament, ISL has remained a closed league. In 2019-2020, the league became India’s top tier, and even though champion teams from the lower division were later promoted to the top, no ISL club was relegated until last season, when Mohammedan Sporting Club finished at the bottom.Significantly, from 2014 to 2025, the league was run by Reliance-owned FSDL, the previous commercial rights holders of AIFF. Starting this season, ISL will have a club-run model with clubs collectively operating the league through a special purpose vehicle (SPV).
