February 17 – The future of the Indian Super League (ISL) looked grim until streaming service FanCode stepped in to purchase the media rights earlier this month. With that deal locked down, the platform has now sublicensed the linear TV rights to one of the giants in the region, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI).
The ISL has been suspended since July, when Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the operator and commercial partner of the competition, stepped back from its role, forcing the governing All-India Football Federation (AIFF) to run a domestic media rights tender itself.
FanCode won that tender. But SPNI has now secured exclusive television broadcast rights in India, alongside non-exclusive TV rights across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
“This partnership reflects AIFF’s commitment to broadening the footprint of ISL,” said M Satyanarayan, Deputy Secretary General of the All-India Football Federation. “With FanCode driving digital innovation and Sony Pictures Networks bringing unparalleled television reach, we want to ensure that fans of every age group can watch the ISL at their convenience.”
FanCode’s acquisition of the ISL rights came at a moment when football properties in India were struggling for linear slots and long-term guarantees. At the time of the acquisition, FanCode co-founder Yannick Colaco, said: “The Indian Super League is a significant addition to FanCode, as it represents the very best of Indian football. With the league’s strong and loyal fan following, we see a big opportunity to elevate how fans experience ISL through reliable, high-quality broadcast and a product designed around modern football audiences. This is in line with Dream Sports group’s overall vision of making sports better.”
