FanCode, Genius Sports make contrast bids for ISL, Federation Cup commercial rights; Capri Sports sole bidders for IWL, IWL 2 | Football News – The Times of India
tioo Sports
FanCode, Genius Sports make contrast bids for ISL, Federation Cup commercial rights; Capri Sports sole bidders for IWL, IWL 2 | Football News – The Times of India


FanCode, Genius Sports make contrast bids for ISL, Federation Cup commercial rights; Capri Sports sole bidders for IWL, IWL 2 | Football News – The Times of India
ISL football match between East Bengal FC and Mohammedan Sporting Club (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Dream11-owned FanCode and Genius Sports have emerged as the two bidders for commercial rights of the Indian Super League (ISL) and Federation Cup on a 15+5 year model that was floated earlier this month. Capri Sports, subsidiary of Capri Global, is the only party interested in rights for the Indian Women’s League (IWL) and IWL 2.After a long day where the tender document was presented to the 14 ISL clubs for the first time and the three bids were evaluated on the basis of their technical and financial aspects, it was back to the drawing board for all involved. Genius Sports, the official data feed provider for the English Premier League, the Championship, and the Scottish league, made a bid of Rs 2129 crore over 20 years. Beyond being a data provider, Genius Sports’ technology is also used for real-time betting odds. This could prove a hurdle at a later stage as betting is illegal in India.FanCode, meanwhile, went with a more pragmatic approach of Rs 36 crore each year with 5 percent increments, amounting to approximately Rs 1190 crore, nearly half of what Genius Sports bid. The AIFF and the ISL clubs will now reconvene over the next couple of days to mull over the specifics of the tender document and the bids. One club that Timesofindia.com spoke to said the decision would take a few days.Capri Sports are the only contenders for the IWL and IWL 2 having made a bid of Rs 150 crore over 20 years. GMR Sports, which had attended the pre-bid meeting, didn’t make a bid in the end. It is understood that the entity behind multiple sporting ventures, including IPL’s Delhi Capitals, had asked for more time but that was not agreed to by the AIFF. The Indian football federation had already pushed the bid due date from March 20 to March 26. As far as the tender is concerned, it would go beyong the media rights. It would entail sponsorship, advertising, digital and data initiatives, merchandising, and event-linked commercial opportunities — creating a long-term deal that consolidates the full commercial ecosystem of Indian club football.During the initial stages, AIFF had introduced a strict eligibility requirement: companies had to purchase the Request for Proposal (RFP) for Rs 2.5 lakh, and only those entities were allowed to submit bids.


‘You can’t have random plans’: Aditi Chauhan on where it went wrong for India at AFC Women’s Asia Cup | Football News – The Times of India
tioo Sports
‘You can’t have random plans’: Aditi Chauhan on where it went wrong for India at AFC Women’s Asia Cup | Football News – The Times of India


‘You can’t have random plans’: Aditi Chauhan on where it went wrong for India at AFC Women’s Asia Cup | Football News – The Times of India
India finished the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup without a win, bowing out in the group stage. (Image: AIFF)

New Delhi: India’s campaign at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asia Cup in Australia ended in disappointment, with heavy defeats – such as 0-11 vs Japan – exposing the gulf with Asia’s elite. Yet, beneath the scorelines lies a more nuanced story of resilience, emerging talent and systemic gaps.Former India goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan reflects on a tournament that reaffirmed belief as much as it raised tough questions. From Manisha Kalyan’s moment of brilliance to structural shortcomings in preparation, coaching continuity and domestic football, Chauhan dissects the realities shaping Indian women’s football.

Watch

EXCLUSIVE: Where did things go wrong for India in Women’s Asia Cup? Aditi Chauhan decodes

In this candid conversation, she outlines why World Cup qualification remains possible — if the right long-term vision, investment and reforms are urgently put in place.Excerpts:Q. It wasn’t the best showing, but there were a lot of promising signs. How would you assess the tournament? What are your takeaways? Aditi: The fact that we qualified and the way we qualified — on merit after over 20 years [23 years] — means that there’s so much talent. We were able to reach there because of the dedication, the passion of the players. Having been through the system and everything that a woman footballer faces and the challenges that we face, it’s purely about the grit and resilience of the players that we were able to get there. Obviously, things could have gone better. We were unlucky as well in certain situations during the matches. But I think taking the positives out of it is that we deserved to be there. There are realistic possibilities of the women’s national team qualifying for the World Cup fairly quickly in the coming years.

India vs Japan

India were ruthlessly thrashed 0-11 by Japan in the second match in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asia Cup. (Image: AIFF)

Q. Japan game highlighted the gulf that exists between where we are now and the top level of women’s football in the continent. What do you take away from that game?Aditi: That the gulf is huge. The gulf right now is of 11 goals. Just bringing back some of the recent results. Right now, the gulf looks of 11 goals. But few years back when India played AFC qualifiers against Japan, the scoreline was 7-0.So the gap has increased and that’s where we need to ask questions of why that has happened. We were getting closer. It felt like we were getting closer. But then we’ve obviously taken a few steps back. So that’s where I feel we need to ask ourselves the question of why that’s happened. Q. Did the Japan game expose tactical gaps, structural gaps or both?Aditi: All of the above. Because we don’t really have a school system like Japan does where the same style of play or philosophy of football is followed throughout the entire system from grassroot to elite football. That’s where you build champions. And of course, the league is competitive.They have not been able to figure it out a couple of times. It took some time as well to figure out the right model to operate sustainably. And finally, most of the first XI or entire Japanese team was playing mostly in UK or in the US or European countries. So, there is directly no comparison at any level. So, there is a lot of work that needs to be done structurally, financially, infrastructure-wise, everything.Q. Manisha Kalyan’s strike is something that made everyone sit up and take notice. As a former goalkeeper yourself, how do you actually save it? Aditi: Honestly, no. I don’t think so. It came so quickly. By the time you blink your eye, it was inside the post. It hit the post and bounced inside. The keeper could barely react. It was hit so purely and with so much venom that I don’t think it was possible to get anywhere close to it, to be honest. Q. Was Manisha Kalyan the biggest positive from the Indian campaign? Aditi: She was one of the biggest positives, yes. 100%. But it was also exciting to see some of the youngsters who were stepping up, who were given the opportunity, who made the most of it. That’s what I feel is the biggest takeaway that the future is bright.If we can get the things in order and provide the right infrastructure that’s needed, that dream of the World Cup is possible.

India womens team 2

India in action during the 2026 AFC Women’s Asia Cup. (Image: AIFF)

Q. Getting Indian Women’s League (IWL) off the ground, consistently, still remains a challenge. The friendlies that we were supposed to have been played before the Asia Cup did not take place or were against weaker sides or against amateur players. As a player, what do you make of it?Aditi: I agree. We were dreaming of qualifying for the World Cup this time. To actually get to that, you have to be realistic with the plans in action as well. And I agree that we should have prepared better. We could have prepared better. And for that, the league plays a very, very important role. Of course, along with international exposure. Because even the IWL right now, I don’t think the level is equivalent to what the level is at international circuit or when you are playing against other countries. So, there is definitely that gap even in our professional league. That’s why (the need for) foreign exposures and more competitive matches. Not friendlies but actually participating in tournaments because there you build a different mentality. Getting into the zone, really taking the pressure, taking up the responsibility of playing in a tournament is different than playing friendlies.So, the way we prepare is also extremely important. But the first step is the league. Then comes the international exposure.

Manisha Kalyan

Manisha Kalyan in action during the AFC Women’s Asia Cup. (Image: AIFF)

Q. One thing that obviously was damaging was the players receiving the ill-fitting kits before the tournament. And then only getting the right jerseys hours before first game. How frustrating is it for a player that the administration is not as well-equipped or as maybe disinterested is the right word?Aditi: Well, obviously, as a player, if I have to imagine, it is not the best thing for anyone when you are preparing mentally. There are so many other factors that play a part in getting the team and the players focused. So, when you have these things happening, match day minus one, minus two is obviously distracting. But honestly, I feel like there’s so much of other distractions as well.And this is something that I think AIFF has answered or that needs to be questioned. And that needs to be figured out why that happened, honestly. And how could that happen when you know when the league [tournament] is, when the matches are.But it will be also interesting to get the views of the players who were actually present there, what they felt and how was the situation over there. And what actually happened, because I have no idea of what actually happened and why the wrong sizes were sent over. So, that will be interesting to get more information on.

There are so many other factors that play a part in getting the team and the players focused. So, when you have these things happening it is obviously distracting.

Aditi Chauhan

Q. As things stand, AIFF have launched an investigation into the fiasco and what transpired. How demotivating and distracting is it for a player?Aditi: There can be more things that can be more distracting. But this is one of the distractions that you wouldn’t want when you’re playing a tournament, when you have important matches. Especially the first match being one of the most important matches. If you get off to a good start, earn those three points, you’re in a comfortable position.So, yeah, like I said, it is distracting for sure. But there were other factors also, which I felt played a part in not securing a decent finish out of the group. Q. What would be those factors if you can share? Aditi: One of the things that we’ve obviously spoken about is the preparation. The right preparation was needed. You also have to have consistency and stability in the leadership. You know, coach coming in one month prior. I don’t know how much impact can that have on the team and its preparation. So, there are multiple factors and it needs to be broken down.

Amelia Valverde

Amelia Valverde was appointed the coach of the India women’s team in January. (Image: AIFF)

Q. Amelia Valverde was appointed as the coach in January. She had eight weeks to connect with the team and bring in her system, her style. Does that, rather than providing any sort of consistency, is that more destabilising for a team? Aditi: I think there were a lot of technical reasons also. The coach who was leading, Mr. Crispin Chetri, did not have the Pro Licence. So, he could not officially be the head coach. So, that was one of the reasons.But maybe the other reason is that they thought someone more experienced who has taken a team to this level before might add more value. So, I don’t know what the thought process behind that was. I feel like it’s good to have foreign coaches leading and for the Indian coaches to learn from their experience. But yes, there has to be consistencies and time given for the coach to actually implement their ideas and philosophy. So, a little more time, I feel, could have been helpful for the coach. Q. Would you continue with the current setup?Aditi: I would have done a thorough investigation if I was there. Really figure out all the answers. Really decode everything, break down everything that happened, everything that led up to that event. And really interview, ask questions of the people who were part of the process to learn more of the ground reality situation.And certainly learn from that and implement things from a more informed position. And of course, using my experience, whether it was as a player, as a sports management professional or someone who is working or contributing in the ecosystem. I probably would have taken a different approach.

Aditi-Chauhan

File photo of Aditi Chauhan.

Q. In terms of looking at how we go from here, what immediate reforms are required to ensure that we actually qualify for the World Cup? Aditi: I have spoken about this multiple times. I feel the league system has to be professional. It has to go on throughout the year, at least 6-7 months minimum. More competitive matches and better salaries so that this becomes a livelihood and the players can 100% dedicate themselves to this. And create that supportive ecosystem. I think there are a lot of gaps, a lot of holes in the system right now.With the league being stopped for and being played over two halves. A lot of things that obviously you also have to incorporate as you go. Because there are multiple factors playing a part and so many different stakeholders being involved.But there has to be a long term vision and approach and implementation plan in place. You can’t just randomly have random plans. I think there has to be a better plan in place for women’s football if we realistically want to look at qualifying for the World Cup.Starting from the grassroots level to the elite development pathway. League plays an important role. And then how do you develop that young players quota or a pool of players that can work at the age group level.But also then progress with experience to the senior level. While also maintaining a competitive environment in the league.

Aditi AIFF media

File photo of former India goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan. (AIFF Media)

Q. Aside from a robust domestic league, does it make sense that players go out and play abroad?Aditi: Top players who are good enough should 100% go abroad. Because like I said, the standard of IWL is not really up to the mark of the international standard when we play countries. So if you get that experience and get the opportunity to play abroad in a more competitive environment, of course choose that.That will 100% help you grow. That’s happened with me from my personal experience. The most I learnt was during my time at West Ham.But for the rest of the pool who might not be at that level to play internationally, they still need to develop themselves in domestic league. Which is professional and they can dedicate and learn and improve.

Banner Insert


India women face embarrassment after receiving ill-fitting kits ahead of AFC Asian Cup campaign | Football News – The Times of India
tioo Sports
India women face embarrassment after receiving ill-fitting kits ahead of AFC Asian Cup campaign | Football News – The Times of India


India women face embarrassment after receiving ill-fitting kits ahead of AFC Asian Cup campaign | Football News – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Just days before their AFC Women’s Asian Cup opener against Vietnam in Perth, India’s women footballers found themselves dealing with an unexpected problem — ill-fitting kits and lack of proper training gear. In a rare and strongly worded letter to AIFF Deputy General Secretary M Satyanarayanan, all 26 players expressed frustration, saying the issue had hurt their morale at a crucial time.“Representing India on the international stage requires professional standards, including properly fitted and appropriate match and training apparel,” the letter said.The players revealed they had already faced problems during preparation due to inadequate clothing. “The arrival of incorrect match kits at this crucial stage has further affected morale and disrupted our focus in the final days leading up to the match.”Shockingly, the kits were reportedly too small, with sizes seemingly meant for Under-15 players and not fitting at least 80% of the squad. Even the coaching staff received incorrectly sized kits.“This tournament marks our return to a major continental competition after 23 years and is a significant moment for Indian women’s football. Unfortunately, on Matchday Minus 2… we discovered a serious issue. The kits supplied are not fit for purpose.”The letter, signed by eight senior players including captain Sweety Devi and Grace Dangmei but backed by the entire squad, demanded urgent action. “We urgently request: 1. Immediate provision of correctly sized match and training kits… 2. Confirmation that suitable replacements will be delivered before kickoff. 3. Clarification on the steps being taken to prevent such incidents in the future,” it further added.Despite the setback, the players added, “We remain fully committed to representing our country with pride and giving our best performance.”The AIFF later said new kits had been provided and cleared by AFC officials.


When Indian football hit rock bottom, belief stepped in: ISL’s Rs 8.62 crore reset and a 300 million opportunity
tioo Sports
When Indian football hit rock bottom, belief stepped in: ISL’s Rs 8.62 crore reset and a 300 million opportunity


Indian Super League’s (ISL) broadcast plummeted significantly this year, from Rs 275 crore per season to just Rs 8.62 crore. There are obvious reasons for the fall – a shorter season with fewer matches and the lack of commercial partners, but most importantly, the chaos in Indian football, which at one point seriously threatened any possibility of having a top division league in the 2025-26 season.

The loss of commercial partner Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) has been brutal for the All India Football Federation (AIFF), and the five-month delay in getting the ISL 2025-26 season underway is proof of it.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

While setbacks have embedded themselves into the Indian football story like a mythical sword in stone, belief has remained just as firmly lodged within the chaos. The story of FanCode emerging ahead of everyone else to acquire the ISL’s media rights is born from that very belief.

Yes, they have had to pay a paltry sum as against what JioStar were paying, but it was never about the cost; it was always about the potential. Football often gets lost in the sporting narratives in India due to the giant that cricket has become, but once you dig deep, you realise millions are waiting to be served. Not just top-qualifying European football, but our own desi leagues.

It’s that potential number of fans who can be served, the unseen potential of the ISL, and its perfect alignment with the online streaming platform’s vision, which attracted the FanCode co-founder, Yannick Colaco, to the Indian Super League.

“We believe in sport. We believe in football. There’s a tremendous amount of following, especially among the younger generation. The growth of the game has to be facilitated by the stakeholders. The ISL clubs, AIFF, Sports Ministry have invested so much. It’s a no-brainer. We have an opportunity in this ecosystem to contribute…The ISL is the number one football tournament in this country. It has in the past 150 million fans across the country who support it. It was really important that the season happened,” Colaco, the former Managing Director of NBA India, told Firstpost.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

While it may come as music to the ears of some fans and stakeholders, the even more consequential point was the full scale of the untapped potential.

“There are 300 million football fans in the country. I think that’s the opportunity.”

This gap – between 150 million ISL viewers and 300 million football consumers – defines the ambition. For years, Indian football followers have passionately tracked the Premier League, La Liga, the Champions League, Ronaldo, Messi, Manchester United. The domestic game, meanwhile, has often struggled to command the same consistency of attention.

Colaco believes that the divide is bridgeable.

“I think every football fan, whether they are a football fan of La Liga, whether you’re a football fan of Ronaldo, whether you’re a football fan of Manchester United, has the potential to become an avid Indian football fan.”

But what is in it for the fans? Maybe consistency, quality, accessibility and a relatable product. The exit of FSDL has created a fear that the game may descend into an abyss that ruled the Indian footballing landscape not long ago.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

ISL’s new home has fans at the centre 

But the new broadcasters are aware and ready! The idea is not only to serve the big cities’ boys or girls, but to use technology and make the matches and content available in a way that it’s consumed broadly, even in Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets. The ISL full-season pass is available for just ₹299 on FanCode. A club-specific pass is just ₹149 and individual match passes are ₹25. The commentary is also available in different languages to create relatability. Technology is being used to the best of its ability to make buffering and lag issues disappear.

“How does it most efficiently come to you? If you don’t have a great bandwidth, how are you able to see it clearly without any buffering? And a subset of that, how do you, how does it take as little data as possible?”

“I think the thesis about being able to provide flexibility and choice essentially comes from us being a digital-first platform,” Colaco said. “We are doing feeds in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Bengali and Tamil for Chennaiyin games.”

But efforts are not just limited to matches.

You want the fans to come to the platform and stay there for a while. Don’t just watch a match and go away. When you stick with a product for a long time, a habit is formed. A bond is created that lasts forever. One would say maybe new fans would also be created.

“We are working with each club to run a program where we essentially select one super fan from each club and that super fan then follows the club throughout the season, goes to matches and training and essentially creates content. They basically tell the story of the club through the ISL season through their eyes,” Colaco revealed.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Then there is the longer view. It’s not a short-term game. Some loss here and there must not dissuade someone from looking at the larger goal and ISL’s full potential.

“There is a requirement for investment, there is a requirement to get fans more engaged. And that is something that we believe needs to be done over a few years. You can’t look at it saying, oh, in one month and now I’m going to, you know, make Indian football tremendously successful for everyone.”

“The focus of Dream Sports as a group is make sports better. And we imbibe that in everything that FanCode does,” Yannick said.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

That statement matters because broadcast platforms shape perception. If coverage is consistent, data-rich, innovative and fan-centric, the league’s credibility rises alongside it.

  • Home
  • Sports
  • Football
  • When Indian football hit rock bottom, belief stepped in: ISL’s Rs 8.62 crore reset and a 300 million opportunity

End of Article




ISL crisis averted after Kerala Blasters locked out of home ground hours before Mumbai City clash
tioo Sports
ISL crisis averted after Kerala Blasters locked out of home ground hours before Mumbai City clash


Kerala Blasters FC avoided a last-minute stadium crisis ahead of their ISL clash against Mumbai City FC on Sunday. There was a rent dispute between KBFC and GCDA, which owns the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi, which is the home ground of the ISL team.

The Indian Super League (ISL) avoided a fresh crisis after Kerala Blasters FC were almost denied the right to play at their home ground just hours before their clash against Mumbai City FC.

The three-time ISL runners-up were set to host Mumbai City on Sunday, February 22, at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi. However, trouble began when the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), which owns the stadium, suddenly increased the rent by Rs 2.2 lakh per match just two days before the fixture.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The GCDA also demanded that the Blasters clear a balance amount of over Rs 22 lakh from last season’s deposit. The club was given a deadline of 4 pm on Saturday to settle the dues. Several meetings were held in the last two days before the deadline, but no solution was reached initially.

Kerala Blasters resolve the issue

The situation became serious on Saturday morning around 11:30 am. The routine
pre-match press conference was cancelled, and head coach David Catala, midfielder Rowllin Borges, and journalists were asked to leave the stadium by security personnel. The stadium gates were then locked and some of the offices set up by Kerala Blasters for match preparations were shut down. Even club officials and representatives of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) were asked to leave.

This created uncertainty just 24 hours before the match. However, relief finally came later in the day. The GCDA allowed the match to go ahead as scheduled after the club agreed to pay a total of Rs 28 lakh within a week. In a statement, Kerala Blasters said, “In the end, football is the winner. We will take to the field against Mumbai City FC tomorrow (Sunday) for our first home game of the season.”

According to The Indian Express, the players were not affected by the developments. Both teams conducted their training sessions at the Blasters’ training facility, which is located around 10 km away from the stadium.

For now, the crisis has been avoided and the focus has shifted back to football. But the episode has once again highlighted the off-field challenges that clubs in the ISL continue to face despite the start of the league.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
  • Home
  • Sports
  • Football
  • ISL crisis averted after Kerala Blasters locked out of home ground hours before Mumbai City clash

End of Article