AIFF Releases RFP for ISL 2025–26 Media Rights: Bid Deadline February 1

The All India Football Federation has officially released the Request for Proposal for Indian Super League 2025-26 media rights following months of negotiations with potential broadcast partners. The RFP, published on January 18, 2026, outlines comprehensive broadcasting requirements, eligibility criteria, and evaluation frameworks for interested bidders seeking to acquire ISL media rights. The federation established a firm bid submission deadline of February 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM IST, enabling rapid partner selection before the season commences on February 14.

The RFP encompasses 91 matches across the 2025-26 season in a home-and-away round-robin format, with coverage requirements spanning television, digital, OTT streaming, and mobile transmission platforms. The selected broadcaster must deliver live production capabilities including world-feed generation, match-day programming, graphics integration, and commentary in multiple languages.

RFP Timeline and Critical Dates

The compressed timeline reflects the federation’s determination to secure broadcast partnership before the season launch. The Pre-Bid Conference on January 23 provides bidders with clarification opportunities on technical specifications and contractual requirements. The January 27 query deadline allows final information gathering before the February 1 submission cutoff.

Eligibility Criteria for Bidders

AIFF has established stringent eligibility standards ensuring only credible, financially stable entities with proven sports broadcasting experience can bid. Bidders must demonstrate prior live sports production capability, financial transparency through audited statements, and legal compliance across all jurisdictions. The absence of pending litigation provides assurance regarding fulfillment of contractual obligations.

Media Rights on Offer

The broadcaster must provide comprehensive coverage across all major distribution platforms while maintaining professional production standards. World-feed production, studio shows, graphics integration, and data-driven analytics represent core responsibilities. The selected partner must deliver content in multiple languages while maintaining broadcast quality suitable for professional distribution globally.

Bid Submission Process and Requirements

The federation mandated fully digital e-bid submission, eliminating physical document requirements. Bidders must submit technical and commercial proposals separately to prevent commercial information contamination of technical evaluations. All supporting documentation must be attached to a single email sent before the strict deadline. Late submissions and revised bids will not be considered, emphasizing the importance of timely and accurate initial submissions.

Bid Evaluation Process and Selection Criteria

The AIFF will employ a dedicated Bid Evaluation Committee reviewing proposals through a two-stage process. Initial technical evaluation assesses eligibility, broadcast capability, production standards, and distribution planning. Only technically compliant bidders progress to commercial evaluation, where financial proposals are assessed against technical quality benchmarks.

Technical quality carries significant evaluation weight, with demonstrated live sports production experience serving as a critical differentiator. The evaluation committee will assess bid completeness, operational feasibility, and capacity to deliver professional broadcasts meeting international standards.

Season Coverage Requirements

The 2025-26 ISL season will feature 91 matches across 14 clubs playing single home-and-away formats. The season runs February 14 to May 17, 2026, with matches primarily scheduled as double-headers on weekends. Broadcasters must manage coordinated coverage across simultaneous matches while maintaining production quality.

The franchise-specific and league-wide content requirements demand sophisticated production infrastructure capable of managing multiple simultaneous transmissions with professional-grade output.

Previous Broadcast Partnership History

Earlier broadcast partnerships with Sony and Star Sports established expectations for production quality, content innovation, and audience engagement. The federation seeks continuity with proven broadcast excellence while exploring alternative partnerships offering enhanced digital and global distribution capabilities.

The absence of a commercial partner during initial 2025-26 planning necessitated the federation’s direct involvement in broadcast acquisition, providing opportunity to establish partnerships aligning with modernized media consumption patterns.

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