Who is Karan Yadav? Meet the new ISL CEO and his football-to-sports business journey
Karan is the first CEO of the ISL under its new club-led League Office structure.
Karan is the first CEO of the ISL under its new club-led League Office structure.
The Indian Super League (ISL) has appointed Karan Yadav as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ushering in a new leadership chapter for the league under its club-led model.
Karan brings nearly two decades of experience across sports, media, marketing, commercial strategy and operations. His career in football began in 2010 when he co-founded TheHardTackle.com, a digital football publication where he served as Editor-in-Chief and led a global team of more than 50 writers and 10 editors.
He has since worked across sports rights management, sponsorships, athlete management and commercial strategy. Karan 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 oversaw a Rs. 300-plus crore P&L spanning sports franchises, talent management and brand consulting. He also helped shape the commercial strategy for Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, managed JSW’s kitting partnership with Team India at the 2024 Paris Olympics and played a key role in launching the Neeraj Chopra Classic in 2025.
As CEO, Karan will lead the League Office and work with ISL clubs and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on the league’s strategic, commercial and organisational direction. His responsibilities will include strengthening relationships with clubs, broadcasters and sponsors, while building a cohesive league strategy focused on sustainable growth.
Karan is the first CEO of the ISL under its new club-led League Office structure.
Published on Sep 21, 2026
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