Finding backers for Mohun Bagan, East Bengal the key

If corporate backers are not found by May, the new 10-team football league comprising ISL franchises and I-League clubs may not kick-off in 2017-18. That is the biggest but not the only challenge to this union of leagues. This is what HT learnt from officials of the AIFF on Friday. They spoke on condition of anonymity.

The officials said talks are on between the AIFF’s commercial partners and business groups interested in investing between ~ 40 crore to ~ 50 crore annually — the budget of an ISL franchise that is nearly three times of what these clubs spend in a season — over a sustained period of time each in Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. An international liquor company and an Indian multinational have shown interest, the officials said. If backers for the clubs are not found in two months, the new league will have to be deferred, the officials said.

That’s because most players would become free agents by the end of May and teams, both in the ISL and the I-League, would need clarity on whether there will be one, new league in 2017-18 from November that runs for five to seven months or status quo.

Knowing that soonest could be more important for Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan who are representing India in the AFC Cup this season. Should one of them qualify for the knockout rounds, they may have to play from August and would need to sign fresh contracts with players. After financers are found, it will have to be decided whether Mohun Bagan and East Bengal can share Kolkata as their home with two-time ISL winners Atletico de Kolkata.

Ditto the question of whether teams in the new league can fulfil mandatory licensing requirements of the AIFF and the Asian Football Confederation in time for the 2017-18 season.