Indian Football League: Rajasthan United FC Aiming for Season’s First Win Against Namdhari Rajasthan United Football Club is set to chase their first victory of the Indian Football League (IFL) season when they face Namdhari at the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium in Jaipur on March 13. The Jaipur-based team, currently languishing at the bottom of the ten-team league with just one point from two matches, hopes the home game will mark a turning point in their campaign. The RUFC side showed promise in their season opener, drawing 1-1 with Shillong Lajong, but faltered in their second match, suffering a 1-3 defeat to Aizawl FC. Both Aizawl FC and Shillong Lajong are leading the standings with four points each. Namdhari, meanwhile, sit in sixth place with two points after drawing both their matches. Despite their current form, Rajasthan United FC maintains a strong head-to-head record against Namdhari, having won their previous two encounters. Namdhari have only managed a single victory in four meetings against the team. RUFC captain Malla Thakuri and head coach Vikrant Sharma expressed confidence in their chances ahead of the match. Sharma acknowledged their mixed performance so far, noting that they were in contention for most of the second game but lost momentum in the closing stages. “We have a balanced side and should do well in the remaining games,” he said, emphasizing the importance of their five home matches. The club’s chairman, KK Tak, and managing director, Roshni Tak, echoed this optimism, stating they are confident of securing a win against Namdhari. They also raised concerns about the conditions at the Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium, urging authorities to install floodlights as soon as possible.#rajasthan_united_fc #namdhari #vidhyadhar_nagar_stadium #all_india_football_federation #kk_tak
ISL on Sony Sports: Will a poor response affect future plans? Sony’s Rajesh Kaul explains the league’s value Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) initially opted not to bid for the media rights of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26, leading to concerns about the league’s television broadcast. However, the rights were eventually acquired by online streaming platform FanCode for Rs 8.62 crore. To ensure the ISL remains accessible to TV audiences, Sony Sports sublicensed the linear television rights from FanCode, allowing matches to be broadcast on Sony Sports Ten 2. This arrangement ensures fans can continue to watch the league on television while expanding its reach. Rajesh Kaul, chief revenue officer and business head for sports and international at Sony Pictures Networks India, explained the decision to Firstpost. He emphasized that ISL is a valuable asset for India’s football ecosystem and that the partnership with FanCode provided a strategic and commercial framework to bring the league to Sony Sports. The move strengthens Sony Sports’ position as the “Home of Football in India” and complements its existing portfolio, which includes UEFA competitions and domestic football properties. Kaul addressed concerns about potential low viewership for the ISL on Sony Sports. He highlighted that the league has a strong and loyal fan base, and football viewership in India has been growing steadily. Sony Sports Ten 2 has already established itself as a preferred destination for football fans, and the network is confident that ISL will benefit from its strong distribution, production quality, and marketing support. The focus, he said, is on scaling up fan engagement rather than short-term benchmarks.#indian_super_league #fancode #all_india_football_federation #sony_pictures_networks_india #rajesh_kaul
