A fresh governance standoff appears to be emerging within Indian football after Indian Super League (ISL) clubs jointly communicated their opposition to a proposal that would see Churchill Brothers FC Goa included in the top division for the ongoing 2025–26 season.
The development follows a formal outreach from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to all 12 ISL clubs, seeking their consent to accommodate Churchill Brothers in this season’s league structure. The move came in the wake of representations made by FC Goa and Sporting Club Delhi, who had urged the federation to consider the Goan side’s participation in the country’s premier domestic competition.
In response, ISL clubs collectively conveyed that any mid-cycle alteration to the league’s composition would be inconsistent with a merit-based system of participation and could undermine the competitive integrity of the tournament. The league structure for the 2025–26 season had already been finalised prior to kickoff and serves as the basis for a range of sporting, operational, financial and contractual commitments undertaken by the participating teams.
The joint correspondence from the clubs also indicated that the matter had previously been deliberated upon in discussions involving the federation. As such, the reopening of the issue at this stage of the season has generated uncertainty among stakeholders, particularly in light of the implications such a decision could have on scheduling, licensing, and broadcast obligations.
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This marks the second time ISL clubs have collectively written to the AIFF on the matter. Earlier, all participating clubs with the exception of Mohammedan Sporting had urged the federation not to entertain any proposal involving Churchill Brothers prior to the commencement of the season on February 14. That position had aligned with a prior decision taken by the AIFF Executive Committee not to induct the club into the ISL for the current campaign.
Subsequent developments, however, appear to have led to renewed discussions regarding Churchill Brothers’ inclusion. The club had concluded the I-League season as provisional table-toppers after drawing 1–1 with Real Kashmir on the final matchday. At the time, they were in line for promotion to the ISL as second-tier champions.
That standing was later challenged by Inter Kashi, who had initially been docked four points by the AIFF Appeals Committee during the course of the campaign. The club contested the sanction at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which ultimately ruled in its favour. As a result of the verdict, Inter Kashi was reinstated as I-League champions and secured promotion to the ISL, replacing Churchill Brothers in the promotion slot.
With Inter Kashi’s entry into the top tier already formalised, the possibility of expanding the ISL to accommodate an additional club has introduced further complications. Clubs have raised concerns that any structural modification at this juncture could disrupt a system that is already underway, particularly given that league participation forms the foundation for commercial partnerships, player contracts, sponsorship agreements, and broadcast commitments.
The situation also places Churchill Brothers in an uncertain competitive position. While the club remains eligible to compete in the Indian Football League (IFL), the rebranded second division of Indian men’s football, it did not attend a recent meeting between the AIFF and IFL clubs. Additionally, Churchill Brothers do not feature in the official match schedule released ahead of the 2025–26 IFL season.
The broader implications of the matter extend beyond a single club’s participation. Questions regarding regulatory authority, adherence to promotion and relegation pathways, and the stability of league governance structures are likely to remain central as the issue evolves.
With the ISL season already in progress, any final determination by the federation will need to balance competitive equity with administrative feasibility. As things stand, the overwhelming majority of participating clubs have indicated their opposition to any expansion of the league format for the ongoing campaign, reinforcing their position that the current composition should remain unchanged through the duration of the season.
