All India Football Federation

What All India Football Federation does

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is the statutory national governing body for football in India, founded in 1937 and headquartered at Football House in Dwarka, New Delhi. It holds exclusive recognition from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation, giving it regulatory authority over all professional and amateur football in the country. AIFF manages India's senior, U23, U20, and U17 national teams for men and women, oversees three professional league tiers (the Indian Super League, the rebranded Indian Football League, and the Indian Women's League), and operates a full development pyramid including futsal, beach soccer, the Blue Cubs grassroots program, and the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy system. Operationally, AIFF runs club licensing, a CRS Player Registration System with DigiLocker verification, a six-region scouting network, and is building a National Center of Excellence in Kolkata. The federation is governed by an elected General Body, Executive Committee, and specialized committees covering refereeing, competitions, women's football, finance, and state development, and is currently aligning its constitution with India's National Sports Governance Act 2025.

AIFF's revenue model is anchored in commercial rights for the ISL and IFL, including broadcasting, sponsorship, club contributions, and tournament fees. Confirmed 2025-26 inflows include FanCode broadcast rights (Rs 8.62 crore), KPS Studios production (Rs 5.22 crore), 14 ISL club contributions (Rs 15.4 crore aggregate at Rs 1.1 crore per club), Star Cement title sponsorship for IFL, and grassroots commitments from Zee Entertainment (15% of football-related subscription revenue). A proposed Genius Sports partnership valued at Rs 2,129 crore over 15+5 years would, if contracted, materially expand the commercial base by introducing AI-driven officiating, fan engagement tools, and a revenue-sharing model. AIFF does not report commercial revenue figures and operates as a nonprofit national federation rather than an investable enterprise; its primary customers are ISL and IFL clubs, state football associations, broadcasters, sponsors, and approximately 305 million Indian football fans.

Name

All India Football Federation

Legal name

All India Football Federation

Website

https://the-aiff.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

AIFF is India's FIFA- and AFC-recognized national football federation, founded in 1937 and headquartered in New Delhi. It governs all football activity in India, manages the ISL, IFL, and IWL professional leagues, oversees national teams, and runs grassroots development programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Federation and Football Governance

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA), Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD), Anti-Doping & Integrity Bodies (WADA, match-fixing/integrity units) (MPAKAFAJ)

Keywords

• Football governance
• National football federation
• Professional football leagues
• Football development programs
• Referee education

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. ISL Commercial Rights: AIFF manages commercial rights for the Indian Super League, with ongoing negotiations with Genius Sports for a long-term commercial partnership valued at approximately Rs 2,129 crore over 15+5 years.
2. Broadcasting Rights: FanCode acquired ISL broadcast rights for 2025-26 season at Rs 8.62 crore, with sub-licensing to Sony Sports Network for TV distribution.
3. ISL Club Contributions: Clubs contribute Rs 1.1 crore per season each, generating approximately Rs 15.4 crore annually for AIFF to fund refereeing, legal affairs, integrity measures and anti-doping operations.
4. Title Sponsorship: Star Cement signed title sponsorship deal for Indian Football League 2025-26 season, integrated across league branding and promotional activities.
5. Grassroots Development Funding: Zee Entertainment committed 15% of football-related subscription revenue towards grassroots football development in partnership with AIFF.
6. Entry and Participation Fees: ISL clubs pay entry fees to participate in the league, with proposed increases from previous levels to offset revenue loss from commercial partner departure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is the national governing body for football in India, recognized by FIFA and AFC. It manages India's men's and women's national football teams across all age groups, operates professional club leagues including the Indian Super League (ISL), Indian Football League (IFL), and Indian Women's League (IWL), implements grassroots and youth development programs, oversees club licensing, conducts coaching and refereeing education, and represents Indian football in international competitions.

Product overview

The All India Football Federation operates a comprehensive football ecosystem comprising multiple interconnected products and competitions. At its core are the professional leagues: Indian Super League (ISL) as the top-tier, Indian Football League (IFL) as second-tier, and Indian Women's League (IWL) for women's football. Supporting these are development-focused products including the AIFF Futsal Club Championship, AIFF Junior League, and Blue Cubs League (Golden Baby League) for grassroots engagement. The federation also maintains the National Center of Excellence in Kolkata for national team development, and runs coaching education and refereeing development programmes. The system operates as a unified platform with promotion/relegation connecting tiers, youth development pathways from grassroots to professional levels, and support services including talent scouting and player registration through DigiLocker verification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Indian Super League (ISL) India's top-tier professional football league featuring 14 clubs competing in a home-and-away format, serving as the premier club competition in Indian football.
• Indian Football League (IFL) India's second-tier professional football league (rebranded from I-League in 2026), featuring promotion and relegation with the ISL, with a two-stage format introduced for 2025-26.
• Indian Women's League (IWL) India's premier women's football league serving as the top tier for women's club football, running from September to January with promotion pathways.
• AIFF Futsal Club Championship India's national futsal club competition featuring teams from state associations, serving as a platform for futsal development and national team selection.
• AIFF Junior League National youth football league for sub-junior and junior age categories, recently rebranded as Dream Sports Championship-AIFF Junior League Finals.
• Senior National Football Championship (Santosh Trophy) India's premier national football championship for state teams, featuring senior men's teams competing for the Santosh Trophy.
• Super Cup National cup competition featuring top clubs from ISL and I-League competing for the championship title.
• National Center of Excellence State-of-the-art facility in Kolkata serving as the home base for AIFF national teams across all age groups, incorporating technical center, coaching education, player analysis, and youth development programs.
• Talent Identification and Scouting Programme Systematic talent identification programme through regional scouts and network covering competitions, academies, and trials to identify and develop players for national team camps.
• Coaching Education Programme Comprehensive coaching certification and development programme including AFC license courses, AIFF refresher courses, and coach development workshops.
• Refereeing Development Programme Professional refereeing development initiative including Elite Refereeing Development Plan (ERDP), full-time contracts for match officials, and AFC/FIFA license training.

Quantifiable outcome

• India women's U17 team qualified for AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup quarter-finals for first time in history
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Zee Entertainment, broadcaster of 2026 FIFA World Cup in India, committed to contributing 15% of its football-related subscription revenue towards grassroots football development in partnership with AIFF. The company holds an eight-year association with FIFA until 2034.
• Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of OdishacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 May 2026AIFF and Government of Odisha signed a renewed five-year MoU to continue and expand their elite youth football partnership. The AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy has already delivered measurable results including a semi-final finish in the U17 AIFF Elite Youth League 2024-25 and four players progressing to the India U17 national team setup.
• Dream Sports Foundation / Premier LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026Dream Sports Foundation announced strategic partnership with the Premier League to deliver coach-development workshops and masterclasses for the Dream Sports Championship-AIFF Junior League Finals. Premier League coach developers from Aston Villa, Everton, Bournemouth, and West Ham United conducted workshops on matchday management, training session design, and reflective practice in Goa.
• Genius SportscoreTechnology or Integration · 23 April 2026Genius Sports presented a partnership-led approach combining technology, data, and commercial expertise to develop ISL into a globally competitive football property. Proposed framework includes AI-driven officiating tools, enhanced fan engagement solutions, and revenue-sharing model. Commercial proposal valued at approximately Rs 2,129 crore over 15+5 years.
• Star CementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026Star Cement signed title sponsorship deal with AIFF for the Indian Football League's 2025-26 season. The cement brand based in Northeast India is integrated across league branding and promotional activities throughout the season.
• DoordarshancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 February 2026Doordarshan was officially appointed as the broadcaster for the Indian Football League (IFL) 2025-26 season, with matches airing on DD Sports as well as Prasar Bharati's digital platform Waves App.
• Ryan Group of InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026AIFF signed MoU with Ryan Group of Institutions to introduce structured football and futsal programmes across the group's schools in India. AIFF provides technical support including grassroots coaching curricula, safeguarding training, and competition frameworks, while Ryan Group offers education for players at AIFF TDS centres.
• FanCodecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 14 February 2026FanCode, owned by Dream Sports, secured exclusive broadcast rights for the ISL 2025-26 season through a tender process conducted by AIFF. The deal is valued at approximately Rs 8.62 crore, with FanCode planning a digital-first viewing experience.
• Sony Sports NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 February 2026Sony Sports Network sub-licensed linear TV coverage of the ISL 2025-26 season from FanCode. The deal enables Sony's contribution to flow to AIFF and be shared among ISL clubs.
• KPS StudioscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 February 2026KPS Studios won the production contract for ISL 2025-26 world feed at Rs 5.22 crore. The company handles production for the 91-match season.
• Nivia SportsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNivia Sports is a sponsor/partner for AIFF kit provisions, with an agreement in principle reached for future tournaments after resolving jersey fiasco for women's national team.
• Indigo (IndiGo)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigo Airlines partnered through the IndiGoal Community initiative, supporting Indian football community engagement.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_AIFF_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/indianfootball
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheIndianFootballTeam
• Instagraminstagram.com/indianfootball

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about All India Football Federation