Indian club football is addressing a structural weakness: league revenue built by a third-party commercial partner rather than by the clubs themselves. By hiring a commercially trained executive to run a competition they now operate, the clubs want to convert control into value they keep.
The Indian Super League (ISL), the highest level of the Indian football league system, has hired Karan Yadav as its new Chief Executive. The appointment comes as the ISL moves to a club-led model, with the 13 member clubs collectively operating the league and taking control of its commercial rights. Until this point, the ISL has been managed by Football Sports Development Limited (FDSL), the commercial partner of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The governing body will now only retain control of the ISL’s regulatory and administrative matters.
Yadav, who is becoming the first CEO of the ISL under its new club-led scheme, has more than two decades of experience across sports and media. He was reportedly selected for the CEO role among more than 150 applicants, according to The Times of India. Most recently, Yadav served as Chief Commercial Officer at JSW Sports, which runs ISL team Bengaluru Football Club, in addition to franchises across Indian cricket, field hockey and kabaddi.
Commenting his appointment, Yadav said: “The ISL is entering an important new chapter, and I am excited by the opportunity to help shape what comes next. The club-led model gives us a strong foundation to work with the clubs and the managing committee of ISL, with a shared ambition for the league and for Indian football. Our focus will be on building a strong and effective league office, strengthening the league’s commercial and broadcast proposition, deepening its connection with fans and creating an environment where clubs can grow sustainably.”
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