Giving a sport a billion-dollar corporate makeover can actually make the national team play worse.
April 15, 2026
Original Paper
Did the Commercial Structure of the Indian Super League Inhibit the Long-Term Development of Indian Football?
SSRN · 6474498
The Takeaway
We usually think that 'more money' equals 'more talent.' However, the Indian Super League's 'franchise model' actually sabotaged the long-term development of Indian soccer. Because the business was set up for short-term entertainment rather than long-term athlete pipelines, the national team's performance stalled despite the cash influx. The wrong business model focused on 'stars' rather than 'systems,' essentially starving the grassroots to feed the spectacle. It’s a warning that corporate investment can be a poison pill if it's not structured to reward actual skill development.
From the abstract
This paper examines whether the commercial structure of the Indian Super League (ISL) created economic incentives that inhibited rather than promoted the long-term development of Indian football. The central puzzle is this: despite an estimated ₹5,000 crore in corporate investment between 2014 and 2025, India's FIFA ranking fell from 97th to 141st. Investment went up. Outcomes went down. Something structural was wrong. Drawing on primary evidence from Ministry of Corporate Affairs government fil