Football / Indian Super League Appoints Karan Yadav As Its First CEO

New Delhi, Sep 21: The Indian Super League (ISL) has appointed Karan Yadav as its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO), marking a pivotal moment as Indian football transitions into a club-led era, officials said on Monday.

Yadav recently served as the Chief Commercial Officer at JSW Sports and is excited to take on the role of ISL CEO as the league enters a new era after facing financial issues under the previous master-rights model with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL).

"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," Yadav said.

"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. Ultimately, we want to build a League that is stronger, more connected and capable of taking Indian football forward," he added.

He became the first CEO of the ISL under the club-led League Office structure. During the July press conference of the All India Football Federation and the Managing Committee of the Indian Super League, it was confirmed that the clubs will hold the commercial rights for the ISL going forward, while the AIFF retains administrative control. This was to move towards a more general club-led commercial model.
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Yadav comes into the role with roots in football. He founded a digital football publication where he managed 50 writers and 10 editors globally.

He has spent close to two decades across different business facets - rights holders, brands and global agencies. More recently, he worked as Chief Commercial Officer at JSW Sports, where he shaped the commercial strategy for Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and also managed JSW's kit partnership for the Paris Olympics with Team India. Yadav also played a pivotal role in launching the Neeraj Chopra Classic last year.

--IANS