Indian Super League Appoints Karan Yadav as CEO as League Enters New Club-Led Era

The Indian Super League (ISL) has appointed Karan Yadav as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ushering in a new leadership phase for India’s premier football league as it operates under a new club-led model.

Announced on September 21, 2026, Yadav’s appointment brings nearly two decades of experience across sports, media, marketing, commercial strategy and operations to the League Office. His arrival comes at a significant point in the ISL’s evolution, with greater emphasis being placed on coordination between the League Office and its clubs across commercial, broadcast, partnership and fan-engagement initiatives.

Yadav will take responsibility for the league’s strategic, commercial and organisational direction while working closely with the participating clubs and the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

Yadav’s career in sport began with football in 2010, when he co-founded TheHardTackle.com, a digital football publication. As its Editor-in-Chief, he built and led the platform while managing a global team of more than 50 writers and 10 editors. His early experience in football media provided him with an understanding of the sport’s audience and digital ecosystem before his career expanded into the broader sports-business sector.

Over the years, Yadav has worked across commercial strategy, sales and marketing, sports rights management, athlete management and operations. His career subsequently included senior positions at major organisations across the sports and marketing landscape.

Experience across sports and commercial strategy

Yadav has led the sports and content practice at Wavemaker, part of WPP, before heading sports sponsorships and activations at unicorn startup ACKO. Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer at JSW Sports, where he was responsible for a ₹300-plus crore P&L spanning sports franchises, talent management and brand consulting.

During his time at JSW Sports, Yadav was also involved in several high-profile sports properties and commercial initiatives. He shaped the commercial strategy for Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, managed JSW’s kitting partnership with Team India for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and played a key role in the launch of the Neeraj Chopra Classic in 2025.

The combination of commercial management, athlete representation, sports properties and brand partnerships now becomes part of his remit at the ISL.

Yadav becomes the first CEO of the ISL under its new club-led League Office structure. The new model places greater emphasis on collaboration between the league and its clubs, creating opportunities for closer alignment across commercial strategy, partnerships, broadcasting, fan engagement and competition development.

As CEO, Yadav will lead the League Office while working with the clubs and the ISL Managing Committee to establish a cohesive strategic direction. His mandate includes strengthening relationships with clubs, broadcasters, sponsors and other stakeholders, while developing a high-performing League Office focused on the long-term sustainability of the competition.

The appointment therefore comes at a point when the ISL is looking to strengthen the connection between its central league structure and the clubs that make up the competition.

Speaking about his appointment, Yadav said the ISL was entering an important new chapter and highlighted the opportunities presented by the club-led model. He said the immediate focus would include building a strong League Office, strengthening the league’s commercial and broadcast proposition, deepening its connection with fans and creating an environment in which clubs can grow sustainably.

Yadav also emphasised the importance of working closely with the clubs and the ISL Managing Committee around a shared ambition for both the league and Indian football. His stated objective is to develop a league that is stronger, more connected and capable of contributing to the next phase of Indian football.

The appointment represents something of a full-circle moment for Yadav. His professional journey in sport began with football journalism and digital publishing before moving into the commercial and operational side of professional sport.

More than 15 years after co-founding a football publication, he now returns to the sport in one of the most senior executive positions in Indian football. That background gives him experience across multiple sides of the sports ecosystem from content and media to sponsorship, athlete management, commercial strategy and operations.

13 clubs in the ISL

The Indian Super League currently features 13 clubs: Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, Churchill Brothers FC, East Bengal FC, FC Goa, Inter Kashi FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Mumbai City FC, NorthEast United FC, Odisha FC, Punjab FC and Sporting Club Delhi.

The league provides a national platform for professional football, bringing together clubs, players, coaches, supporters, broadcasters and commercial partners. Under the club-led commercial model, participating clubs hold the commercial rights, administrative control and oversight of key operational aspects.

Yadav’s appointment places him at the centre of this evolving structure, with responsibility for bringing the League Office and clubs together around a coordinated strategy. As Indian football enters this new phase, the focus will now turn to how the ISL develops its commercial proposition, strengthens its relationship with supporters and builds a sustainable framework for its clubs.

For Yadav, the journey from football writer and publisher to CEO of India’s premier football league marks a significant return to the sport where his professional career began.