No Salary For Bengaluru FC Players Staffers. Here's Why
Bengaluru FC Suspends Player Salaries: Indian football faces a deepening crisis as Bengaluru FC halts payments to first-team players and staff amid growing uncertainty over the Indian Super League's upcoming season.
Bengaluru FC, one of the Indian Super League's (ISL) most decorated clubs, has announced an indefinite suspension of salaries for its first-team players and staff, including captain and national icon Sunil Chhetri. The decision follows escalating doubts over the fate of the 2025–26 ISL season.
In an official statement issued over the weekend, the 2018–19 ISL champions expressed their regret, saying the step was unavoidable given the lack of clarity about the league’s immediate future.
“Running and sustaining a football club in India has always been an uphill climb, one that we have put everything aside and made, season after season,” the club said.
“However, the lack of clarity on the League's future leaves us with no choice but to take this step.”
The uncertainty has arisen from a stalled contract renewal between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the Reliance-backed body that operates the ISL. Negotiations over extending their 2010 agreement were frozen after the Supreme Court instructed the AIFF to hold off on signing a new deal. The court is currently reviewing a separate case concerning the adoption of a revised AIFF constitution.
Statemet From The Club
Bengaluru FC emphasized that while the suspension affects its senior men’s team, operations for its youth academy, women's teams, and soccer schools will continue without disruption.
“The future and well-being of our players, staff and their families is of utmost importance to us,” the club noted.
“We remain in constant contact with them during this difficult period and urge the AIFF and FSDL to resolve this impasse as soon as possible.”
— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) August 4, 2025
This is the first time an ISL club has publicly halted salaries, and the move underscores the growing financial strain on football clubs in India during periods of league suspension or uncertainty. The timing is especially sensitive, as the Master Rights Agreement between the AIFF and FSDL is set to expire in December 2025.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that a high-level meeting is scheduled to take place on August 7 in New Delhi. CEOs from eight ISL clubs will meet with AIFF officials to discuss possible solutions and chart a way forward for the league.
Issues With AIFF
Delays in resolving the deadlock have been compounded by ongoing litigation, proposed changes to the AIFF’s internal governance, and disagreements over commercial terms. With little clarity and no official response yet from either the AIFF or FSDL, clubs are being forced to make hard decisions to stay afloat.
The crisis comes just months after Bengaluru FC’s impressive run to the ISL final, where they narrowly lost to Mohun Bagan SG on April 12. That momentum now risks being derailed as off-field issues threaten to overshadow progress made on the pitch.
Analysts warn that the current deadlock could undo years of hard-fought development in Indian football, especially if a resolution isn’t reached soon. For now, fans and players alike are left waiting, hoping that decision-makers act swiftly to save the season and protect the future of the sport in the country.
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