Federation cites the confidentiality clause on the Brazil contract however confirms no bonds or mounted deposits have been damaged.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had ₹11.25 crore in its common financial savings financial institution accounts as on March 28, 2026, Khel Now has learnt.
The determine seems in a financial institution steadiness assertion ready for the federation’s Finance Committee, accessed by Khel Now. The assertion splits AIFF’s holdings into three separate blocks.
Other than the common accounts, it exhibits ₹22.45 crore in accounts the federation itself marks as FIFA and AFC accounts* and one other ₹21.63 crore in mounted deposits and bonds.
*Cash acquired from FIFA and AFC can solely be launched towards accepted tasks and comes with circumstances on how it’s spent and reported.
Collectively, the three blocks come to ₹55.33 crore.
The timing makes the numbers related. India will host three FIFA World Cup nations in worldwide friendlies. The Blue Tigers tackle Panama on September 26, Brazil on October 3 and Uruguay on October 6.
Based on numerous media stories, the federation has been placing collectively a package deal price roughly ₹90 crore for the three fixtures by way of sponsorships, ticket gross sales, and authorities assist. Between ₹60 crore and ₹70 crore of that’s for the Brazil match alone.
It’s the largest monetary dedication AIFF has taken on since its assured rights earnings from the ISL resulted in December.
Khel Now put an in depth set of inquiries to the federation on its monetary place and the funding of the fixture. Nevertheless, most of them went unanswered.
What the assertion establishes
The break up between the three blocks issues when studying the doc.
The cash AIFF had instantly accessible in its working accounts on March 28 was ₹11.25 crore. The FIFA and AFC balances are tied to particular programmes. Deposits and bonds could be liquidated, however they aren’t day-to-day money.
Even the mixed ₹55.33 crore sits beneath the reported value of the Brazil fixture alone.
That doesn’t set up that the federation can’t fund the match. The paperwork don’t present how the Brazil challenge is being financed, what share the West Bengal authorities is carrying, or how a lot is predicted again by way of sponsorship, broadcast and ticketing.
What AIFF stated
Khel Now despatched the federation a set of questions masking its present monetary place, the accepted funds for the Brazil fixture, the payment payable to the Brazilian confederation, the funding break up, and whether or not any of AIFF’s personal cash had gone in direction of the match.
Most weren’t answered.
“Most of your questions can’t be answered, because the Brazil contract has a confidentiality clause,” an AIFF official advised Khel Now.
“No bonds or mounted deposits damaged. None.”
Khel Now remains to be awaiting a response to the remaining questions.
That reply settles one factor. On the federation’s personal account, the ₹21.63 crore held in mounted deposits and bonds has not been touched for the fixture.
It leaves the bigger query open. AIFF didn’t say whether or not cash from the common financial institution accounts, or from the FIFA and AFC accounts, has gone in direction of the Brazil challenge in any kind, together with as a short lived advance. It gave no determine for the full funds, no determine for the CBF payment, and no breakdown of what the West Bengal authorities, sponsors and broadcasters are carrying.
Khel Now additionally requested what the federation’s accounts maintain immediately. It didn’t present the determine.
The confidentiality clause is itself price noting.
A fixture being staged at a state-owned stadium with authorities assist is one whose phrases the federation says it can’t disclose.
Why the March place could have modified
The assertion is shut to 5 months outdated, and the yr behind it leaned closely on rights gross sales.
AIFF’s figures as much as February 28 confirmed ₹93.67 crore in earnings towards ₹85.47 crore in expenditure, leaving a surplus of ₹8.20 crore.
Of that earnings, ₹36.88 crore got here from “Sale of Grasp Proper” and one other ₹2.16 crore from “Sale of Proper – ISL” — near 42% of every part booked. The Grasp Rights determine covers solely a part of the yr, with the settlement working till December 2025.
Soccer Sports activities Growth Restricted’s (FSDL) Grasp Rights Settlement with the AIFF, a 15-year deal price ₹700 crore, expired on December 8, 2025, and was not renewed. The ISL has since moved to a club-led mannequin from the 2026-27 season.
Instead of that rights earnings, the federation is about to obtain ₹14.3 crore in participation charges from the 13 ISL golf equipment, at ₹1.10 crore per membership.
Why did India skip the ASEAN Cup?
India have withdrawn from the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 due to the scheduling battle with the Brazil pleasant, with FIFA declining to let the nation subject a U-23 or B group.
That event would have introduced cash in somewhat than despatched it out. AIFF would have acquired a participation fee from FIFA, together with free journey and logistics for gamers, teaching employees and officers.
The federation went with Brazil as a substitute.
The newest image on report
The March assertion stays the latest full image of AIFF’s banking place. The federation’s audited report for the 2025-26 monetary yr is prone to be revealed later this yr.
It exhibits a federation with the majority of its cash both earmarked towards FIFA and AFC programmes or locked into deposits and bonds, and ₹11.25 crore within the accounts it runs its operations on.
That place has barely moved in three years. AIFF’s personal audited accounts put ₹12.00 crore in its financial savings accounts on March 31, 2023, the top of Kalyan Chaubey’s first full monetary yr as president.
A year-end steadiness is what stays after a full yr of spending, and a determine that dimension will not be alarming by itself. What issues is what was resulting from arrive subsequent.
In 2023, that was settled. The Grasp Rights Settlement with FSDL assured AIFF an annual fee, price near ₹50 crore a yr in its later levels, and it was contracted to maintain coming.
That settlement has ended. The March 2026 steadiness sits firstly of a monetary yr with no comparable assured earnings behind it.
Two tenders, one bidder every
What changed the MRA is a club-led league that has but to call a broadcaster. The ISL’s media rights tender for the following four-season cycle drew one bid.
The Indian Women’s League industrial rights tender additionally drew one bid, from Capri Sports activities.
Khel Now understands no contract has been signed between the federation and Capri Sports activities, and no begin date has been introduced for the IWL. No schedule has been introduced for the AIFF youth leagues for the approaching season both.
One fixture carrying the load
Towards that report, Brazil reads much less like a possibility than a wager.
AIFF has skipped a event that will have paid it to show up, taken on a fixture costing ₹60-70 crore to stage, and declined to say how it’s being funded.
Chaubey’s tenure as president runs till the top of 2026, after the Sports activities Ministry deferred Nationwide Sports activities Federation elections to December 31, 2026. No election schedule has been introduced.
If the package deal holds, the federation could have staged the most important match performed in India in years and lined its value. It will be the strongest single results of his time within the chair.
If it doesn’t, the loss lands on a physique whose working accounts held ₹11.25 crore in March, whose assured rights earnings has ended, whose league has no broadcaster, whose ladies’s league has no signed industrial associate and no begin date, and whose youth competitions don’t have any calendar. No reserve sits behind it to soak up a foul night time.
That’s the half that reaches previous the federation’s personal books. A shortfall wouldn’t be a line merchandise to be written off. It will set the ceiling on what Indian soccer can afford to do for years, and the programmes with no cash behind them already are those that will really feel it first.
Both approach, a single pleasant is now carrying extra of Indian soccer’s funds than a pleasant ought to. And on the federation’s personal reply, the phrases gained’t be made public.
How a lot cash did AIFF have within the financial institution?
AIFF had ₹11.25 crore in its common financial institution accounts as on March 28, 2026, together with ₹22.45 crore in FIFA and AFC accounts and ₹21.63 crore in mounted deposits and bonds. The three blocks whole ₹55.33 crore.
What did AIFF say concerning the Brazil match funding?
The federation advised Khel Now that it couldn’t reply most questions as a result of the Brazil contract carries a confidentiality clause. It confirmed that no bonds or mounted deposits have been damaged. Khel Now could be awaiting responses to the remaining questions.
Has AIFF damaged any mounted deposits or bonds for the Brazil match?
No. An AIFF official advised Khel Now: “No bonds or mounted deposits damaged. None.”
Which account held essentially the most cash?
An IDFC First Checking account marked FIFA Ahead, with ₹20.26 crore. It was the one largest steadiness on the assertion.
How a lot is the India-Brazil pleasant anticipated to value?
AIFF has been assembling a package deal price roughly ₹60-70 crore for the October 3 fixture by way of sponsorships, ticket gross sales and authorities assist.
Does this imply AIFF can’t pay for the Brazil match?
No. The paperwork present solely what the federation held in its accounts on March 28. They don’t present how the fixture is being financed or what share is being carried by the West Bengal authorities, sponsors and broadcasters.
Why did India withdraw from the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026?
The event clashed with the Brazil pleasant on October 3 and FIFA didn’t allow India to enter a U-23 or B group. AIFF would have acquired a participation fee from FIFA and free journey and logistics for the squad and employees.
How a lot will AIFF earn from ISL participation charges?
₹14.3 crore from the 13 ISL golf equipment, at ₹1.10 crore per membership, paid in two instalments of ₹55 lakh.
What occurred to the AIFF-FSDL Grasp Rights Settlement?
The 15-year deal price ₹700 crore expired on December 8, 2025 and was not renewed. The ISL has moved to a club-led mannequin from 2026-27.
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