AIFF send formal request to allot AFC Champions League slot to ISL winners

On Tuesday, The All India Football Federation (AIFF) have reportedly approached the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) with a request of an AFC Champions League qualification spot for the winner of the Indian Super League (ISL). Up until now, the winner of India’s top-tier domestic competition- The I-League - was rewarded with an AFC Champions League qualification spot, while the ISL winner played the AFC Cup.

"In light of the MRA as well as the fact that in the last 5 years the entire Indian national squad are mostly being signed/playing for the Indian Super League clubs, and the TV viewership and in stadia audience having grown far more substantially vis a vi the I-League, and the Indian Super League clubs complying with the entire AFC Club licensing criteria, including strong grassroots, and youth development programmes which had also been certified by the Asian Football Confederation, the AIFF Executive Committee recommends to the Asian Football Confederation to positively consider their request." the AIFF said in an official statement.

Furthermore, the report added that the federation have asked that a high-level delegation should intervene in order to help sort out the ongoing tussle for power between I-League teams and ISL franchises along with commercial partners - FSDL.

"Further, as the issues of Hero I-League, Hero I-League clubs and the future roadmap of Indian Football including a unified League are important issues which need to be resolved in a time bound manner, the AIFF Executive Committee requests the Asian Football Confederation to send a high-level delegation led by Dato Windsor John, General Secretary, Asian Football Confederation at the earliest to discuss this issue with all stakeholders of Indian Football including our commercial partners FSDL to arrive at a fair solution," the statement added.