Karan Yadav appointed ISL Chief Executive as league moves to club‑led model
The Indian Super League appointed Karan Yadav as its Chief Executive Officer on September 21, 2026, naming him the first CEO under the competition’s new club-led League Office structure. The announcement accompanies the league’s switch to a club-led operating model.
Yadav arrives with nearly two decades of experience across sports, media, marketing, commercial strategy and operations. His career in football began in 2010 when he co-founded TheHardTackle.com, serving as Editor-in-Chief and leading a global team of more than 50 writers and 10 editors. He has worked across sports rights management, sponsorships, athlete management and commercial strategy, and has held roles leading the sports and content practice at Wavemaker (WPP) and heading sports sponsorships and activations at ACKO. His most recent position before the ISL appointment was Chief Commercial Officer at JSW Sports.
At JSW Sports, Yadav oversaw a Rs. 300-plus crore P&L spanning sports franchises, talent management and brand consulting. During his time there he helped shape the commercial strategy for Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, managed JSW’s kitting partnership with Team India at the 2024 Paris Olympics and played a key role in launching the Neeraj Chopra Classic in 2025. These responsibilities formed part of the commercial portfolio he managed at JSW.
“The ISL is entering an important new chapter, and I am excited by the opportunity to help shape what comes next. The club-led model gives us a strong foundation to work with the clubs and the Managing Committee of ISL, with a shared ambition for the League and for Indian football. Our focus will be on building a strong and effective League Office, strengthening the League’s commercial and broadcast proposition, deepening its connection with fans and creating an environment where clubs can grow sustainably. Ultimately, we want to build a League that is stronger, more connected and capable of taking Indian football forward,” said Yadav.
As CEO, Yadav will lead the League Office and work with ISL clubs and the All India Football Federation on the league’s strategic, commercial and organisational direction. His remit will include strengthening relationships with clubs, broadcasters and sponsors, and building a cohesive league strategy focused on sustainable growth.
The new season of the ISL is set to start from October 10, with Yadav installed as the league’s first CEO under the club-led League Office structure ahead of that campaign.