The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has formally begun the process of changing its name to the Football Federation of Bharat (FFB) after the proposal received approval during a Special General Body Meeting (SGM) on Saturday.
The proposed change is subject to approval from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and subsequently from FIFA, the global governing body for football.
AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said the proposal would now be forwarded to the sports ministry for consideration before the process moves to the next stage.
“The process began today. The proposal will be sent to the sports ministry, and if approved, it will be brought back to the general body before being forwarded to FIFA,” Chaubey told the media.
Approval process still pending
Although the proposal has received support from the AIFF General Body, the name change cannot take effect until the required approvals are obtained.
National football associations operate under FIFA regulations, meaning any formal change to the federation’s name must also be recognised by the world governing body.
The timeline for the approval process has not been announced.
AIFF cites international examples
While speaking about the proposal, Chaubey referred to countries that have adopted names reflecting revised national identities.
He cited Türkiye and Czechia as examples of nations whose football associations adopted names aligned with updated national nomenclature.
If approved by all relevant authorities, the AIFF would operate under the name Football Federation of Bharat.
Indian Super League to begin in September
The AIFF General Body also approved the commencement of the 2026-27 Indian Super League (ISL) season on September 4.
According to the federation, the league is expected to run for seven months and will continue with a full home-and-away format involving all 14 participating clubs.
While the annual football calendar was approved during the meeting, the final competition schedule will be determined by the league’s managing committee.
The future operating structure of the ISL remains under discussion.
No final decision was taken during the meeting, with the matter being referred to the managing committee, which includes representatives from clubs, the AIFF and commercial stakeholders.
Chaubey said proposals submitted by clubs require further discussion before they can be presented to the AIFF Executive Committee for ratification.
“The clubs’ proposal needs further deliberation before it can be brought before the Executive Committee,” he said.
Commercial rights discussions continue
The developments come amid ongoing discussions regarding the commercial rights and governance of the ISL.
Earlier this year, Genius Sports, a London-based sports technology and data company, emerged as the highest bidder for the league’s commercial rights.
Discussions regarding the league’s future governance and commercial framework are continuing, with no final decision announced so far.