Mandaviya says Indian football is "making excellent progress" at Fit India event; critics point to deeper problems
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said "Football is making excellent progress" while speaking on the sidelines of the 85th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle in Hanol Village, Gujarat, on August 9, 2026. The remark drew attention because it came amid ongoing debate about the state of India’s football ecosystem.
Fans and commentators reacted with scepticism to Mandaviya’s comment, noting it came as the same Indian football network grapples with club exits, financial uncertainty, a changing ISL structure and confusion around the national-team setup. The minister made the remark during an event focused on the Fit India Movement, rather than in a dedicated football forum.
Mandaviya also said the Indian Super League will return, a fact that matters for clubs, players and supporters after last season’s disruption, but several voices in the game argue that the league’s resumption alone cannot be treated as proof that Indian football is in good health. The article described that expectation as setting the bar at a historic low.
Operational and commercial uncertainty preceded the shortened 2025-26 ISL campaign: the commercial agreement between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) expired before the previous season, and a campaign originally expected to begin in September eventually ran from February 14 to May 21 in a single-leg format. That schedule produced fewer matches and fewer revenue opportunities for clubs already carrying high operating costs.
Industry estimates cited in the article put ISL clubs’ losses at around Rs 25-30 crore per season and reported a sharp fall in broadcast valuation, with a per-match figure dropping from around Rs 1.68 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 9.5 lakh last season. The commercial collapse and revenue shortfall were presented as problems affecting multiple clubs.
The situation escalated when Tata Steel decided to withdraw Jamshedpur FC from the ISL for the 2026-27 season, prompting appeals from the club’s players, former India captain Sunil Chhetri and AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey. Pratik Chaudhari posted a tweet saying, "We, the players of Jamshedpur, with folded hands plead to Tata’s Top Leadership to rethink their decision. And not destroy the future of Indian Football. This club is the heart and soul of Indian football and the only hope for lakhs of upcoming players."
The article noted the shift toward a club-led commercial model intended to give teams greater control over revenues, sponsorships and broadcasting arrangements, but warned that asking financially stretched clubs to act as their own commercial engines does not by itself resolve the underlying financial problems. It framed the model as potentially positive but insufficient on its own.
Problems extended to the national-team setup, where the Ranjit Bajaj–Bibiano Fernandes episode attracted criticism: Bajaj was approved as manager of the India U-15 men’s team after Fernandes was appointed head coach, but Bajaj objected to the arrangement because he felt their footballing philosophies were too different, initially turned down the role and later said he was ready to take it if Fernandes was not part of the setup. Bajaj also said he had not been informed beforehand and did not receive timely confirmation even after reports about the decision emerged, at a time when the team is preparing for India’s first appearance at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival. Separately, former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia criticised a proposed Brazil friendly in October for its potential clash with India’s participation in the FIFA ASEAN Cup, and AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey was quoted by the Press Trust of India saying: "The more we get international matches, international friendly... we might not win those matches but"
Mandaviya’s wider remarks included discussion of preparations for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games and facilities being developed for athletes, but when asked about football his answer focused on the ISL returning and new clubs being formed without mention of Jamshedpur FC’s withdrawal, the financial strain on ISL clubs, the collapse in broadcast revenues, commercial uncertainty or the Ranjit Bajaj–Bibiano Fernandes episode. The minister’s earlier difficulty pronouncing Mohun Bagan and East Bengal as "Mohun Began" and "East Began" at an ISL press conference had already become a meme; the article noted those clubs are century-old institutions central to India’s football history, particularly in Kolkata.
The piece concluded by saying that if the Sports Ministry sees a broader, positive picture of Indian football, supporters deserve to be shown what that picture is.