Indian Super League side, East Bengal have taken the big step of writing directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking urgent intervention as uncertainty surrounding the future of the ISL begins to impact the wider footballing structure in the country. The move comes at a time when not only the domestic game, but also the national team, appears to be caught in a worrying downward spiral.
The immediate crisis stems from the Indian Super League’s latest commercial tender closing without attracting a single bid, pushing the All India Football Federation into fresh turmoil. Once projected as the flagship of Indian football’s rise, the ISL’s failure to draw interest has sent an alarming signal across the ecosystem, raising serious questions over the league’s stability and future direction. With no confirmed start date for the new season, the competition now finds itself in limbo, leaving players, clubs and fans in a state of uncertainty.
That instability is now spilling into the national setup. India’s shock 0-1 defeat to Bangladesh in Dhaka, their first loss to the neighbours in over two decades, has underlined the scale of the problem. The result also contributed to the Blue Tigers slipping to 142nd in the latest FIFA rankings.
There have already been 12 ISL clubs that have jointly approached the Supreme Court, seeking clarity on the future of the league. However, the Kolkata club has gone a step further by directly appealing to the Prime Minister. In a letter signed by president Murari Lal Lohia, the club warned that the present uncertainty has created unrest across the football community.
“There is no clarity on when — or whether — it will commence. This uncertainty has created widespread anxiety and threatens the integrity and future of the sport,” the letter stated.
The club also flagged a serious drop in corporate backing, calling for immediate steps to restore confidence. “Your guidance is urgently required to restore corporate confidence and ensure the smooth functioning of the league,” it added.
Earlier this year, East Bengal also made a rare appeal to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), with senior official Debabrata Sarkar urging it to “sponsor Indian football” for a few years to help stabilise the sport amid falling investment and administrative uncertainty.
Looking ahead to the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, East Bengal stressed that stabilising football must be treated as a priority. Expressing faith in PM Modi’s sporting vision, the club said decisive action now could help Indian football regain direction, stability and its long-lost standing on the international stage.
– Ends
