Players of Bengaluru FC, including India legend Sunil Chhetri, have agreed to take a pay cut for the upcoming, truncated Indian Super League season, which is scheduled to restart on February 14. The decision was confirmed by club owner Parth Jindal, who praised the players for making a “sacrifice” in the best interests of both the club and Indian football.
The ISL season, which has been paused for more than four months, will resume in a shortened format. Speaking about the situation, Jindal said the club management held open and honest discussions with the first-team squad to address the challenges facing the sport.
“Everyone is well aware of the challenging phase Indian Football is going through. For me, as BFC team owner and someone who is deeply passionate about the sport and the club, this has been one of the toughest periods ever,” Jindal wrote on X.
“I am grateful to all the first team players who have agreed to reduce their remuneration during this phase. Without a doubt, this was one of the toughest decisions we have had to make as a club, and I truly appreciate that the players have made this sacrifice in the best interests of the club and the sport,” he added.
Jindal was among the first ISL club officials to publicly raise the issue of voluntary pay cuts. Last month, he urged players to “make sacrifices” in view of the “financial burden” clubs would face in participating in the delayed league. He also warned that without player support, his franchise could be forced to “shut shop for good.” While he did not specify the nature of the sacrifice at the time, a reduced salary for the season was clearly indicated.
Bengaluru FC’s squad includes several high-profile names, such as former India captain Chhetri and star goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. In a related development, the club has also announced the appointment of former India international Renedy Singh as senior team head coach for the upcoming ISL season.
The move by Bengaluru FC follows a similar decision taken last month by FC Goa, where players and support staff, including India captain Sandesh Jhingan, accepted pay cuts. The club described the decision as a “selfless” act and said it was deeply humbled by the unity and commitment shown by the group. FC Goa’s squad also features national team players such as Udanta Singh and Boris Singh.
All 14 ISL clubs have now confirmed their participation in the shortened season, with 91 matches to be played on a home-and-away basis. Each team will play 13 matches as Indian football looks to navigate a difficult period and complete the long-delayed campaign.
