The I-League 2024-25 season, which concluded weeks ago, was supposed to be a celebration of Indian football’s second-tier league.
Instead, the season has spiralled into a chaotic mess of legal battles, administrative blunders, and international embarrassment, with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) at the center of the storm.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has plunged Indian football into yet another embarrassing controversy, by openly defying a stay order from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and awarding the I-League trophy to Churchill Brothers on Sunday.
The Roots of the Controversy: A Disputed Match and Points Tally
The controversy stems from a January 13, 2025, match where Inter Kashi lost 0–2 to Namdhari FC.
Inter Kashi appealed to the AIFF Disciplinary Committee, alleging that Namdhari fielded an ineligible player, Brazilian forward Clemson Carvalho da Silva (Degol), who had accumulated four yellow cards and should have been suspended.
Initially, the Disciplinary Committee awarded Inter Kashi three points, which would have placed them at 42 points, ahead of Churchill Brothers’ 40 points, crowning them I-League champions for the 2024–25 season.
However, Namdhari appealed, and on March 28, the AIFF Appeals Committee stayed the decision, restoring Churchill Brothers to the top spot.
The Appeals Committee’s final ruling on April 19 declared Churchill Brothers champions, confirming their promotion to the Indian Super League (ISL) for the 2025–26 season.
Inter Kashi, unwilling to accept the verdict, escalated the matter to the CAS, which issued a stay order on April 27, explicitly barring the AIFF from declaring a winner or holding a medal ceremony until the arbitration concluded.
The order, issued by Elizabeth Steiner, Deputy President of the CAS Appeals Arbitration Division, stated, “The All India Football Federation is ordered not to declare the winner of the I-League 2024-2025 or organise a medal ceremony for the I-League 2024-25 until the present arbitration has been concluded.”
The AIFF’s Blunder: A Trophy Presentation Amid a CAS Ban
Despite the CAS order, the AIFF went ahead with the I-League 2024-25 presentation ceremony later that day, April 27, 2025, at 4:00 PM IST in Goa. AIFF Deputy Secretary General M. Satyanarayan presented the champions’ trophy and winners’ medals to Churchill Brothers FC Goa, citing the Appeals Committee’s ruling and the Delhi High Court representations from April 23.
The AIFF later issued a statement claiming they were unaware of the CAS order due to a holiday in the AIFF Secretariat, only learning of it after the ceremony had concluded.
The AIFF’s handling of this controversy has drawn sharp criticism, exposing deep-rooted governance failures that have plagued Indian football for years. CAS is the highest sports tribunal globally, and its rulings are binding on all FIFA-affiliated federations, including the AIFF.
By proceeding with the ceremony, the AIFF has potentially violated CAS directives, risking sanctions from FIFA, which could range from fines to a suspension of Indian football from international competitions—a fate India has faced before due to governance issues.
AIFF’s Pattern of Mismanagement
This incident is not an isolated blunder but part of a broader pattern of administrative chaos under AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey’s tenure. Since taking office in 2022, Chaubey’s leadership has been marred by allegations of corruption, governance failures, and favoritism.
The I-League has faced multiple controversies this season alone. Six clubs, including Gokulam Kerala and Real Kashmir, submitted evidence to the AIFF alleging refereeing bias favouring Inter Kashi, claiming “repeated errors” undermined the league’s fairness.
Additionally, Churchill Brothers themselves were docked points in February for fielding an ineligible player against Aizawl FC, highlighting the AIFF’s inconsistent enforcement of its own rules. The federation’s decision to ignore the CAS order has only cemented its reputation as an organisation that prioritises expediency over integrity.
What Happens Next?
The CAS arbitration process will now take center stage. The AIFF, Churchill Brothers, and Namdhari FC have until April 29, 2025, to file their replies, after which CAS will schedule a hearing or issue a final ruling.
If CAS upholds Inter Kashi’s appeal, the I-League title and ISL promotion could be awarded to them, forcing Churchill Brothers to return the trophy and medals. The AIFF may also face sanctions from FIFA for violating the CAS order, further damaging its reputation.
In the meantime, the AIFF must answer tough questions about its administrative processes. Why was there no mechanism to ensure timely communication of the CAS order?
Why did the federation fail to resolve the dispute internally, allowing it to escalate to CAS and the Delhi High Court? And most importantly, how can the AIFF regain the trust of clubs, fans, and the global football community?
The I-League 2024-25 controversy is a damning indictment of the AIFF’s governance. What should have been a moment of triumph for Indian football has instead become a spectacle of incompetence, legal wrangling, and international embarrassment. The AIFF’s claim of being unaware of the CAS order due to a holiday is not just implausible—it’s insulting to the intelligence of fans and stakeholders who deserve better.
Indian football cannot afford such repeated blunders. As the CAS arbitration looms, the I-League’s rightful champion remains uncertain, and the AIFF’s reputation lies in tatters.
For a sport striving to gain a foothold in India’s crowded sporting landscape, the federation’s actions are a self-inflicted wound. Indian football deserves better than a governing body that treats its own rules—and international court orders—as optional.
