At a time when Indian football is mired in uncertainty, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has quietly launched one of the most important commercial decisions in the history of the women’s football.
On 14 November 2025, the federation issued a fresh tender inviting partners to acquire commercial rights to the Indian Women’s League (IWL) and IWL 2 for the period 2025–2030. What makes this moment significant is not the scale of the deal, but the philosophy behind it. After the spectacular failure of the ISL commercial rights tender where zero bids were received the AIFF has taken a radically different approach to building the future of women’s football.
Instead of chasing massive revenue, the federation is now prioritising stability, professionalisation, and long-term credibility.
A Low-Barrier Entry Built for Growth, Not Profit
Unlike the ISL tender, which had a massive net worth requirement of ₹250 crore, the IWL tender demands only ₹30 crore from an individual bidder. The annual guaranteed payment expected from the eventual partner is also modest around ₹3 crore per year, a figure designed to ensure operational stability rather than extract high profits.
In other words, the AIFF is trying to build the league from the ground up.
The IWL today is a young league with enormous potential but equally large structural gaps. Clubs don’t yet have reliable revenue streams, many rely on subsidies, and the league’s broadcast visibility remains limited. Instead of pretending the league is already a commercial powerhouse, this tender acknowledges reality while positioning the IWL for genuine long-term growth.
For any partner, this is the rarest of opportunities: to enter early, with minimal downside, and build a future asset before its valuation skyrockets.
Women’s Football Is Rising Globally India Wants to Ride the Wave
The timing of this tender is no coincidence. Across the world, women’s football is exploding in popularity. Audiences are growing, investment is rising, and brands are embracing women’s sports as the next big cultural movement. India, too, is beginning to feel this shift.
The IWL has birthed new stars, participation numbers are rising, and the country is now part of the AFC Women’s Champions League pathway a development that significantly enhances the league’s competitive and commercial appeal.
The recent success of East Bengal’s women, who won their first-ever IWL title last season, shows that the participation of big legacy clubs can help the league scale faster. Meanwhile, Garhwal United’s perfect campaign in IWL 2 demonstrated that new entrants can bring thrilling stories and fresh energy. For a commercial partner, the combination of established clubs and rising teams makes the league a fertile ground for content, sponsorships, and digital expansion.
A Five-Year Window That Reduces Risk
The AIFF also intentionally kept the commercial cycle short: just five years, instead of the ISL’s unsuccessful 15-year term. This shorter window protects the partner from being trapped in long-term uncertainty, especially in a football environment that is currently unstable. The ISL tender debacle showed India’s sports industry that a commercial partnership must be mutually logical not a one-sided arrangement where the federation controls everything while the partner absorbs all losses.
The IWL tender is a reset. A signal that the federation is willing to reconsider how it distributes power and responsibility.
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The tender combines rights for both the IWL (Tier 1) and IWL 2 (Tier 2) into a single package. This means the partner controls:
- Broadcasting
- Sponsorship
- Digital content
- Merchandising
This vertical integration makes commercial planning cleaner and more powerful.
Promotion and relegation already work. Garhwal United and Indian Arrows earned their way into the top tier after dominant IWL 2 seasons. East Bengal earned the AFC Women’s Champions League spot through on-field merit. The structure is real, competitive, and ready to scale.
The Harsh Reality: Clubs Are Still Financially Fragile
For all the optimism, the IWL remains financially delicate. Earlier this year, the AIFF attempted to mandate minimum annual contracts of ₹3.2 lakh for 10 Indian players in each club. The rule was rolled back almost immediately because clubs simply couldn’t afford it.
This remains the league’s biggest challenge: the clubs do not have stable finances. Most rely on subsidies of around ₹25 lakh from the federation. Without revenue, long-term planning is impossible. This is where the new commercial partner becomes essential.
The partner must help build:
- A strong central revenue pool
- Fair distribution mechanisms
- Production-quality improvements
- And sustainable financial structures
The league cannot succeed without stabilising its clubs first.
Broadcast: The Biggest Growth Engine
Right now, IWL 2 is streamed on YouTube, and the IWL’s production varies season to season. That is not commercially viable.
A dedicated partner has the chance to: build a premium OTT strategy & partner with a mainstream broadcaster. Create shoulder content and documentaries, monetize digital communities and elevate the visual identity of the league
In women’s football globally, storytelling is the primary driver of audience growth. The IWL is no different. Fans want to connect with players, journeys, challenges, and dreams.
This is the league’s biggest untapped opportunity.
A Tender Launched Under the Shadow of Crisis
It must be acknowledged: this tender comes at a difficult time. The ISL rights failure damaged trust in the AIFF’s commercial governance. Clubs, investors, and market observers openly questioned the federation’s decision-making. The IWL tender must overcome that shadow, and the new partner must insist on enhanced autonomy and transparent governance structures. Without restoring trust, the league cannot attract future investment, no matter how strong the on-field product becomes.
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The IWL tender is not about immediate profit. It is about shaping the future of Indian women’s football.
A committed partner who invests resources, brings professionalism, improves visibility, and supports clubs can build an asset that eventually rivals top Asian women’s leagues. This is a defining moment. A chance to move from a fragile, subsidised ecosystem to a stable, inspiring, and commercially viable sporting property that elevates Indian women’s football for decades to come.
The next five years will decide whether the IWL remains a developmental league or becomes one of India’s great success stories.
