IMG Reliance, the joint venture between the IMG agency and Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, and the All India Football Federation, football’s governing body in India, are considering launching a franchise-based football competition modelled on the hugely popular Indian Premier League cricket tournament.
The federation’s general secretary, Kushal Das, told the Press Trust of India news agency: “Everything is at a discussion stage and nothing has been finalised as of now. But we do plan to hold an IPL-style league.”
Das added to the Indian Television website: “The franchise-based league was always part of the contract with IMG Reliance, but as of now nothing has been finalised. We received a lot of suggestions on how to go about the league.”
IMG Reliance owns the federation’s media, intellectual property and sponsorship rights – including rights for the I-League, the top division of football in India – under a 15-year deal, from 2010 to 2025.
The federation plans to earmark a two-month window for the league after the end of the I-League season, allowing India’s top footballers to participate in the competition.