ISL appoints Karan Yadav as CEO under new club-led model

The Indian Super League (ISL) on Monday appointed Karan Yadav as its chief executive officer (CEO), as Indian football's premier league begins a new chapter under a club-led model.

Yadav, who has nearly two decades of experience in sports, media, marketing, commercial strategy and operations, will lead the league office and oversee its strategic, commercial and organisational direction.

His responsibilities will include strengthening relationships with clubs, broadcasters, sponsors and other stakeholders, while building a league office focused on the long-term growth and sustainability of the competition.


Yadav began his career in football in 2010 when he co-founded TheHardTackle.com, a digital football publication, which he led as editor-in-chief. He subsequently worked across sports rights management, sponsorships, marketing, athlete management and operations.

He has led the sports and content practice at Wavemaker (WPP), headed sports sponsorships and activations at ACKO, and most recently served as chief commercial officer at JSW Sports. At JSW Sports, he managed a P&L of more than Rs 300 crore across sports franchises, talent management and brand consulting.

During his tenure at JSW Sports, Yadav was involved in shaping the commercial strategy for Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, managing the company's kitting partnership with Team India at the 2024 Paris Olympics and launching the Neeraj Chopra Classic, India's first global athletics intellectual property, in 2025.

As the first CEO of the ISL under its new club-led League Office structure, Yadav will work closely with the league's clubs and the All India Football Federation (AIFF). His mandate will cover the league's commercial and broadcast proposition, fan engagement, stakeholder relationships and the development of a cohesive strategy in collaboration with clubs.

The new model provides greater scope for alignment between the league office and clubs across commercial strategy, partnerships, broadcasting and fan engagement.

"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," he added.

Yadav's appointment marks a return to football, following his early career as the co-founder and editor-in-chief of TheHardTackle.com.

The ISL currently features 13 clubs and operates under a club-led commercial model in which participating clubs hold commercial rights, administrative control and oversight of key operational aspects.