MUMBAI: Reliance controlled Football Sports Development Limited, which runs the Indian Super League, while inviting tenders for media rights for the first time since its inception, has set Rs 550 crore (Rs 5.5 billion) as the base price for two-year rights with an option to extend.
The tender includes home games of the national team, which comprise three FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers scheduled for the November, March, and June international windows.
The invitation to tender spanning an initial period of two years, encompasses both television and digital rights.
US based media rights agency Octagon will oversee the tender process, ensuring fairness and equal opportunities for broadcasters and digital platforms to be part of Indian football’s growing stature, the Times of India earlier reported.
Last season marked the conclusion of Disney Star’s five and four-year broadcast rights agreement with the ISL. As a result, FSDL decided to open the tender process to find a new broadcasting partner. FSDL has already notified all relevant stakeholders about the tender for media rights.
FSDL has already notified all relevant stakeholders about the tender for media rights. For the record, Reliance holds a 65% stake in FSDL while the remaining 35% is held by Disney Star.
Looking ahead, the next edition of ISL, expected to commence around the last week of September, will see the participation of 12 teams for the first time since its inception. Initially starting with eight franchises as a three-month league, ISL has grown in size and stature. Punjab FC will make their debut in the league, having earned qualification by winning the I-League, which is Indian football’s second-tier league competition, the report added.
