The Football Players Association of India today urged Indian footballers not to sign new contracts with their existing, or new clubs until there is more clarity on the league’s situation for the next year.
This isn’t the first time that the FPAI and the All India Football Federation haven’t seen eye-to-eye with the players’ body previously seeking more clarity on the league situation and the proposed draft for ISL 4, with the Federation later claiming that it didn’t recognise the FPAI.
Previously, the AIFF had announced its intention of merging the I-League and the Indian Super League, with the two Kolkata giants, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, as well as 2017 Federation Cup champions Bengaluru FC to be clubbed with the eight ISL teams.
The plan was revised later when AIFF supremo Praful Patel backtracked, stating that I-League and the ISL would run parallely for atleast two to three years with the former remaining the official league. With the AFC likely to green light a request for an AFC competition slot for the unofficial ISL, the three I-League clubs mentioned above are likely to bid for a spot in the FSDL-run tournament. FSDL earlier had invited three to four bidders for open slots in the ISL.