Supreme Court lifts several stormclouds over Indian football, approves AIFF draft constitution

The Supreme Court of India on 19 September, Friday, approved the draft constitution of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) — prepared by former apex court judge L. Nageswara Rao and adopted with some modifications — and has instructed the AIFF to formally adopt it at a general body meeting within four weeks.

The verdict, delivered by justices P.S. Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi, provides long-sought clarity and stability to Indian football governance and brings an end to years of uncertainty and legal wrangling that had put commercial operations and strategic planning on hold.

The bench also recognised the current executive committee under president Kalyan Chaubey, stating “there is no point in cutting it in between” as only one year of its term remains. Fresh elections, therefore, were ruled unnecessary at this stage, with the next scheduled for 2026.

The current ruling doesn’t come a day too soon, with a second FIFA ban (in a mere three years) having been dangled over the AIFF like a Damocles’ sword for a while now.

The draft constitution, crafted per the Supreme Court’s prior directions, received input from state football associations, former players and independent experts in response to clause-by-clause reviews. It introduced sweeping reforms, including:

• Term and age restrictions: No office bearer may serve for more than 12 years, capped at two successive four-year terms, with a required four-year cooling-off period after eight years in office; no office bearer above the age of 70.

• A 14-member executive committee, including a president, two vice presidents (one man, one woman), one treasurer, and ten members —of whom at least five must be eminent players, including two women.

• New mechanisms for internal democracy, such as the inclusion of a no-confidence vote for removing office bearers — including the president.

• Enhanced transparency, accountability and compliance with FIFA and Asian Football Confederation requirements, countering the previous risk of a ban for non-compliance.

• Provisions to align Indian football governance with the National Sports Code and the newly enacted National Sports Governance Act, 2025.

This Supreme Court decision has significant ramifications beyond India, offering a model for sports governance reform across the region and restoring faith among international football bodies (notably FIFA and the AFC) that had previously warned of possible suspensions if India did not align its operations with global standards.

The ruling also unblocks commercial negotiations with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which operates the Indian Super League, and signals to global sponsors, partners and fans that Indian football is returning to regulatory stability and transparency.

AIFF secretary general M. Satyanarayan hailed the decision, stating, “The winner is Indian football. The Supreme Court’s decision provides clarity and stability. Now we can concentrate on governance reforms and development on the ground rather than being stuck in litigation.”

He also committed to ensuring that the federation’s work aligns with FIFA and AFC directives and emphasised that the priority is to strengthen domestic football from grassroots to the national stage.

Justice Narasimha observed, “We are of the firm hope that the constitution, once adopted, will mark a new beginning of Indian football and take the sport to greater heights.”

The judgement is being seen as a pivotal step for Indian football’s credibility, operational clarity and global integration — paving the way for sustainable development and international engagement in the sport after a long few years under a shadow.