Arvind Kejriwal Comes Out in Support of Football Players, Says Sports Need Transparent Governance, Not Politics

Delhi, January 2026 : Indian football is currently going through one of the gravest crises in its history. January 2026 has arrived, but the 2025–26 Indian Super League (ISL) season has still not begun. The league has remained indefinitely suspended since July 2025. This is not merely the suspension of a tournament; it is the story of stalled dreams of thousands of players, coaches, support staff and crores of fans.

The situation has deteriorated to such an extent that some of the biggest names in Indian football — national team captain Sunil Chhetri, veteran goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, senior defender Sandesh Jhingan, and a few foreign ISL players such as Hugo Boumous — were compelled to release a joint video on January 2, 2026, directly appealing to FIFA to intervene.

Players being forced to seek help from an international body exposes the deep failure and years of mismanagement in Indian football administration. Today, careers of players are at a standstill. Young talents are not getting opportunities. Several clubs are struggling with financial crises. Foreign players are leaving India to join other leagues, while Indian players and support staff remain trapped without matches, without income, and without clarity about their future. Along with the ISL, the I-League and lower-division competitions are also affected by this crisis.

On this entire issue, Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has raised his voice openly. In a tweet, he said that Indian football today stands at a critical crossroads, where if the right and honest decisions are not taken even now, the sport will head towards complete destruction in the coming years. When players are forced to appeal to FIFA and the government to save the game, it is the result of years of mismanagement and neglect. He clearly stated that sports need transparent governance, accountability and respect for players — not politics and power struggles.

Arvind Kejriwal’s stand echoes the sentiments of millions of fans who are today disappointed and hurt. Stadiums are empty, young players are frustrated, and one of the country’s popular sports appears to be falling victim to administrative politics. The question is: how long will the BJP-led central government keep its eyes closed? Will the future of players and the country’s sport continue to be sacrificed to power games?

Today, the sympathy of the people of the country is with Indian footballers. Players are not making demands; they are only asking for the right to play and for dignity. India and its passionate football fans deserve better. There is still time to rise above power politics and save the sport and its players, otherwise this crisis will also shatter the dreams of future generations.

Team Maverick.