AIFF Cracks Down on ‘Secret Deals’: ISL Clubs Mandated to Disclose Full Player Salaries
Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has initiated a significant regulatory overhaul aimed at bringing transparency to Indian football’s top flight. In a move that targets the “worst-kept secret” in the Indian Super League (ISL)—the systematic circumvention of salary caps—the national governing body has mandated that clubs must now upload all supplementary contracts and “side letters” to the Centralised Registration System (CRS).
For years, the ISL has maintained a salary cap of Rs 16.5 crore per team, a measure designed to foster a healthy competitive balance. However, industry insiders have long noted that many clubs routinely exceed this limit. To bypass the restriction, clubs have frequently utilized bonus letters, image rights agreements, and even shadow employment contracts within parent companies to provide additional remuneration to players without officially reflecting the figures on their primary salary filings.
While regulations regarding fines and point deductions for salary cap violations have existed, they have largely remained toothless due to a lack of rigorous implementation. That is set to change.
Mandatory Transparency
In a circular issued on Sunday, AIFF Deputy Secretary General M. Satyanarayan confirmed that the mandatory uploading of all accompanying documents and side letters will apply to all transactions registered during the current transfer window, which runs from June 1 to August 31, 2026.
“Any failure, suppression, concealment or omission by a club to upload complete contractual documents and side letters on the CRS shall be deemed a violation of the AIFF regulations and procedural norms, rendering the concerned entity subject to appropriate disciplinary proceedings and sanctions,” Satyanarayan stated.
The Catalyst: The Sahil Tavora Case
The shift in enforcement follows a high-profile ruling by the AIFF Players’ Status Committee (PSC) in a dispute between footballer Sahil Tavora and Jindal Football Pvt Ltd (formerly Hyderabad FC, now Sporting Club Delhi).
During the proceedings, it was revealed that while Tavora’s employment agreement with FC Goa had been filed, a separate image rights agreement worth Rs 65 lakh over two years remained undisclosed. Tavora’s legal team argued that these payments should not be considered “remuneration” when assessing his dues.
However, PSC chairperson Justice Ravindra Singh rejected this argument. In his order, Justice Singh noted: “The committee notes that the Side Letter, Player Bonus Agreement(s) executed between Hyderabad FC and the player were taken into account as part of the player’s contractual remuneration… the player cannot selectively contend that one contractual benefit should be considered… while another contractual benefit should be excluded.”
The committee ultimately dismissed Tavora’s claim, setting a precedent that all “secret” contractual arrangements will henceforth be factored into a player’s total remuneration package.
Maintaining Competitive Balance
The AIFF’s strict stance serves as a warning to clubs that the era of hidden financial maneuvering is coming to an end. By requiring full disclosure of agent fees, individual performance bonuses, and ancillary agreements, the federation aims to enforce the salary cap with unprecedented scrutiny, ensuring that the financial playing field in the ISL remains competitive and transparent.
