The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday announced that the 2026-27 Indian Super League season would begin on September 4, and its intention to rename itself to the Football Federation of Bharat.
An AIFF release said: "It also designated September 4, 2026, as the kick-off date for the Indian Super League 2026-27. The annual calendar for the 2026-27 season was also approved.
"It was further resolved that a proposal be submitted to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) for renaming the All India Football Federation (AIFF) as the Football Federation of Bharat (FFB)."
The AIFF also unanimously approved its revised Constitution in conformity with the National Sports Governance Act (NSGA), 2025. The decision was taken at a Special General Body Meeting (SGBM) held virtually, attended by members of the AIFF Executive Committee, representatives of member associations, and officials from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Among other key decisions, the federation approved a proposal that the National Anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana', and the National Song, 'Vande Mataram', be played before the start of all matches conducted under the AIFF's aegis.
The AIFF also approved a proposal allowing clubs in the Indian Super League (ISL) and the Indian Football League to field a starting eleven comprising three foreign players and one Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) player. It further proposed that one Indian striker must remain on the field for the entire duration of a match to ensure greater playing opportunities for domestic forwards.
The General Body approved amendments to the AIFF Disciplinary Code, including revised fines for abusive language by officials, enhanced anti-discrimination measures aligned with FIFA's three-step procedure, stronger provisions against spectator misconduct and updated appeal fees.
It also approved the competition window for the 2027-28 season from June 1, 2027, to May 31, 2028, along with player registration windows required for advance updating on FIFA's Transfer Matching System (TMS).
Other measures approved include permitting AIFF academies and teams to compete in higher age-group competitions, reducing tournament registration fees from Rs 25,000 to Rs 15,000, linking the Central Registration System (CRS) with DigiLocker for player verification, and continuing the fee waiver for Under-18 female players until further notice.
According to the AIFF release, the revised Constitution was prepared following the adoption of the NSGA, 2025, at a Special General Body Meeting in Kolkata on May 23. The NSGA, 2025, enacted by Parliament last year, provides a governance framework for National Sports Federations, including provisions relating to administration, transparency, elections and dispute resolution.
The final draft incorporated feedback received from member associations and was approved unanimously by the General Body. The General Body also approved the creation of an AIFF Election Panel to oversee and guide elections to the executive committees of the federation's member associations in compliance with applicable laws. The panel, when constituted, will comprise former Chief Election Commissioner of India Sunil Arora, former Delhi Director General of Police and Goa Inspector General of Police Vivek Gogia, and retired Central Bureau of Investigation officer Surinder Singh Gurm.
(with inputs from PTI)