Arvind Kejriwal Backs Players’ FIFA Appeal, Slams Football Governance Failur

India

oi-Gaurav Sharma

Indian
football
is
facing
one
of
the
gravest
crises
in
its
history.
January
2026
has
arrived,
yet
the
2025-26
Indian
Super
League
(ISL)
season
has
still
not
begun.
The
league
has
remained
suspended
indefinitely
since
July
2025.
What
appears
on
the
surface
as
a
delay
in
a
tournament
has,
in
reality,
frozen
the
careers
of
thousands
of
players,
coaches
and
support
staff,
while
leaving
millions
of
fans
disillusioned.

The
situation
has
deteriorated
to
such
an
extent
that
India’s
most
recognisable
football
figures
were
forced
to
take
an
extraordinary
step.
On
January
2,
2026,
national
team
captain
Sunil
Chhetri,
senior
goalkeeper
Gurpreet
Singh
Sandhu,
defender
Sandesh
Jhingan
and
foreign
ISL
players
including
Hugo
Boumous
released
a
joint
video
appealing
directly
to
FIFA
for
intervention.
That
players
felt
compelled
to
bypass
domestic
authorities
and
approach
world
football’s
governing
body
speaks
volumes
about
the
depth
of
administrative
failure
within
Indian
football.

The
consequences
are
severe
and
widespread.
Players’
careers
are
on
hold,
young
talents
are
losing
critical
development
years,
and
several
clubs
are
struggling
to
survive
financially.
Foreign
players
are
exiting
India
for
more
stable
leagues,
while
Indian
footballers
and
support
staff
remain
stuck
without
competitive
football,
income
security
or
clarity
about
the
future.
The
crisis
extends
beyond
the
ISL,
affecting
the
I-League
and
lower
divisions
as
well.

Political
voices
have
begun
to
weigh
in.
Aam
Aadmi
Party
convenor
Arvind
Kejriwal
has
publicly
warned
that
Indian
football
stands
at
a
decisive
crossroads.
He
argued
that
without
immediate,
honest
and
transparent
decisions,
the
sport
risks
long-term
damage.
Kejriwal
pointed
out
that
when
players
are
forced
to
seek
help
from
FIFA
and
the
government
simply
to
protect
their
livelihoods,
it
reflects
years
of
mismanagement,
neglect
and
internal
power
struggles.
He
stressed
that
football
needs
governance,
accountability
and
respect
for
players-not
political
gamesmanship.

His
comments
echo
the
frustration
of
fans
across
the
country.
Stadiums
are
empty,
aspiring
footballers
are
demoralised,
and
a
sport
that
commands
deep
emotional
loyalty
in
many
parts
of
India
appears
to
be
collapsing
under
administrative
paralysis.
The
central
question
now
is
how
long
the
national
government
can
afford
to
remain
silent.
Can
the
future
of
Indian
football
be
sacrificed
to
institutional
infighting
and
political
indifference?

Indian
footballers
are
not
asking
for
favours.
They
are
asking
for
the
right
to
play,
earn
a
living
and
plan
their
careers
with
dignity.
Indian
football-and
its
passionate
supporters-deserve
better.
There
is
still
time
to
act,
but
continued
delay
risks
permanently
damaging
the
dreams
of
an
entire
generation.