New Delhi, November 7: The deadline for submitting bids in response to the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the commercial rights of the Indian Super League (ISL) has closed, and no bids were received during the specified period.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced via its official Instagram account, "The deadline for bid submissions in response to the RFP for the monetisation of the ISL's commercial rights has concluded today. Unfortunately, no bids were received within the designated timeframe."

According to the statement, the AIFF Bid Evaluation Committee will meet over the weekend to assess the situation and decide on the next steps.

The AIFF had released the RFP for the commercial rights on October 16.

In September, the Supreme Court approved a proposal from the AIFF and its commercial partner, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), to resume the ISL, which is currently suspended.

The proposal included two main points: conducting tenders to find a commercial partner for the ISL, which was set to commence in December, and starting the 2025-26 season with the Super Cup, as reported by ESPN.

The Supreme Court emphasized the need for a timely start to India's 2025-26 football season, including the Super Cup, and urged the AIFF to take necessary actions to facilitate this. They have now approved the tender process for the ISL, with former Justice Nageswara Rao appointed to oversee it.

On August 22, the Court directed the AIFF and FSDL to collaborate and present a roadmap for the league's future. Meetings between the two parties occurred in Bengaluru on August 25, resulting in a proposal that included two significant decisions. AIFF and FSDL agreed to conduct an open and transparent tender to select a commercial partner for the ISL, managed by an independent professional firm.

Notably, FSDL has agreed to relinquish its right of first negotiation and the right to match the winning bid, allowing for the possibility of a new entity entering the Indian football landscape if FSDL opts not to bid or is outbid during the tender process. FSDL, supported by Reliance, has played a pivotal role in transforming the ISL from a short exhibition tournament into India's premier football league over the past decade.

The ISL, typically held from September to April, has been on hold due to ongoing disputes between the AIFF and FSDL.

The conflict arises from unresolved contractual issues. The 15-year Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between AIFF and FSDL is set to expire at the end of this year. In July, the AIFF stated that it had initiated negotiations regarding the potential renewal of the MRA on November 21, 2024. Following this, meetings were held on February 5 in New Delhi and March 5 in Mumbai to discuss renewal terms.

During these discussions, FSDL submitted a proposal on March 5, which the AIFF countered with a response on April 21.

However, the AIFF has been restricted from negotiating the MRA renewal until the Supreme Court issues a ruling on the AIFF draft constitution case.