CHENNAI: Going by Friday's development, there seems to be some kind of hope for Indian football. The first time All India Football Federation released the Request for Proposal (RFP) for media rights last year, there was hardly any response. But this time, by the closing date on January 23 (Friday), at least four broadcasters took part in the pre-bid conference.
It is understood that at least four broadcasters FanCode (Sporta Technologies Private Limited , Sony Sports Network (Sony Pictures Network India [SPNI]), Zee Entertainment Enterprises and UK based sports entertainment firm Two Circles have attended the meeting where the RFP was discussed.
The discussion revolved around acquiring the media rights of the AIFF, which includes broadcasting the 25/26 Indian Super League (ISL) supposed to kick-off from February 14. According to the RFP, bidders will be selected based on quality and the costs. The technical quality will bear 70 percent of the total score, with 30 percent of it determined based on the commercial quality. Technically qualified companies will only be eligible to take part in the commercial bid, scheduled for February 2.
After this meeting, the companies are now expected to send their clarifications on the tender terms by January 27. The deadline to submit technical bids is set at 5 pm on February 1. "The response from the companies has been positive. There is hope that one of these might come forward and broadcast the games," said an AIFF source. It is also learnt that the government-owned Prasar Bharti, which runs Doordarshan are informally in the list of possible broadcasters. Since they are a government company, they are not allowed to participate in bids as per their constitution. "They could come in when needed," the source added.
When Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced the kickoff date for the league (February 14), he also said that he would request Prasar Bharti to help the AIFF in broadcasting. This would prove key to what will follow next, as sealing a broadcaster would give the AIFF leeway to finalise the fixtures. With clubs — especially those relying on public infrastructure venues — looking for an amicable solution soon, sealing this deal would be crucial.
As per the terms in AIFF's Request for Proposal (RFP) broadcasters and internet operators must have experience of broadcasting or live streaming top-tier national or international sporting competitions for at least three continuous years prior to bid submission date. Financially, companies must be worth at least `10 crore and have a minimum average annual revenue of the same amount in preceding financial years.
The governing body had failed to attract bidders when it released tender terms in November 2025 for a new commercial partner. The rigidity of the terms from the bidders perspective was cited as one of the key reasons behind bidders not showing interest.
Roping a broadcaster for this season may help the AIFF recover the finances it has pledged to run this season. In addition to the 10 per cent it has put into the Rs 25 crore pool of funds, it has pledged another 30 per cent, in the absence of a commercial partner.
