The 2025–26 edition of the AIFF Super Cup, which was supposed to symbolize a new phase of stability in Indian football, has already been overshadowed by controversy and a logistical crisis.
Just nine days before the tournament’s kickoff, Real Kashmir FC (RKFC) announced their withdrawal, citing an inability to secure Indian visas for their foreign players. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) responded swiftly, replacing the Srinagar-based I-League side with Dempo SC, a move that stabilizes the competition but exposes deep-rooted administrative challenges in Indian football. The fallout from this episode extends far beyond one club’s withdrawal. It underlines the fragile operational structure of I-League clubs and poses serious questions about the AIFF’s preparedness to manage international regulatory dependencies, especially at a time when the federation is repositioning the Super Cup as the official season opener.
The 2025–26 AIFF Super Cup, the sixth edition of the national knockout competition, is more than a trophy hunt. It provides the winner a direct entry into the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Two qualifiers, making it a crucial tournament for clubs chasing continental exposure. Defending champions FC Goa were set to headline the event, joined by all 13 ISL clubs and three I-League qualifiers. This year, however, the Super Cup holds an even greater administrative significance. Traditionally played at the end of the season, it was moved up to October (25 Oct – 22 Nov 2025) to serve as the official kickoff of the domestic football calendar, following Supreme Court directives for scheduling regularity.
That decision placed immense pressure on the AIFF to demonstrate organizational competence a narrative now punctured by Real Kashmir’s exit.
The Real Kashmir Crisis: Bureaucracy Over Football
RKFC’s official withdrawal statement on October 16, 2025 cited “unavoidable logistical circumstances” beyond the club’s control. The issue: failure to obtain Indian visas in time for their foreign players, a process the club claimed had been ongoing for weeks. Without their international contingent, RKFC argued it could not field a competitive team for a tournament of this magnitude. The timing could not have been worse. RKFC were scheduled to play East Bengal FC on October 25, followed by Mohun Bagan Super Giant on October 28 and Chennaiyin FC on October 31—fixtures that were expected to define Group A, widely dubbed the “Group of Death.”
The club’s sudden exit forced a redrawing of fixtures and created a crisis that the AIFF had to resolve within hours.
While visa delays are an external administrative matter, the incident reveals a glaring disparity in institutional capacity between ISL and I-League clubs. Most I-League outfits operate with limited budgets and minimal administrative infrastructure, lacking dedicated compliance departments to handle bureaucratic formalities like foreign documentation. What might be a minor delay for an ISL franchise becomes a competitive catastrophe for a smaller club like Real Kashmir.
The Larger Structural Weakness of I-League Clubs
The withdrawal exposes a systemic problem: the I-League’s limited institutional support and its dependency on local administrative efficiency. For clubs like Real Kashmir, based outside major metro hubs, coordination with central agencies is inherently slower. The AIFF, while serving as the governing body, provides limited logistical assistance in these matters.
The implications are broader than just one withdrawal. The Super Cup’s format relies on I-League teams to represent grassroots competitiveness and geographic diversity. Incidents like this jeopardize not only a club’s prospects but also the credibility of the tournament as a unified national competition. Interestingly, the AIFF had already reduced the foreign player quota in the Super Cup from six to four per starting XI to encourage Indian participation. Yet, RKFC’s heavy reliance on foreign talent made the absence of those players a deal-breaker. Their withdrawal highlights how dependent some clubs remain on overseas players for competitive balance.
Dempo SC: The Replacement and the New Dynamic
Within 24 hours of RKFC’s exit, the AIFF named Dempo SC as the replacement team. The decision was both logical and strategic. Dempo, one of Goa’s most storied clubs, was already among the top I-League sides on standby and critically is based in the host state. With the entire Super Cup being held in Goa’s Fatorda and Bambolim stadiums, the logistical convenience was undeniable. From a competitive standpoint, Dempo’s inclusion subtly reshapes Group A. While Real Kashmir would have offered physical, counter-attacking football led by foreign strikers, Dempo brings a more compact and defensively resilient structure.
Known for conceding fewer than one goal per game in the 2024–25 I-League, Dempo thrives on tactical discipline and local familiarity. Moreover, as a Goan club, it will enjoy the home advantage that Real Kashmir never could have. For giants like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Chennaiyin FC, the change means adjusting to a different kind of challenge breaking down a deep defensive block rather than matching intensity against an unpredictable northern side. With only one team advancing per group, Dempo’s low-risk style could become a decisive disruptor in what remains the tournament’s toughest pool.
Governance Questions: AIFF’s Regulatory Crossroads
The AIFF now faces a delicate governance dilemma. Should it penalize RKFC for non-participation or acknowledge the withdrawal as an unavoidable logistical failure? Precedent offers contrasting lessons. In 2019, several I-League clubs boycotted the Super Cup over governance disputes and were fined by the AIFF. Internationally, Al Hilal’s withdrawal from the Saudi Super Cup earlier this year due to fixture congestion led to a financial penalty and a one-year ban. However, RKFC’s case differs sharply: theirs was non-elective, driven by bureaucratic delay rather than protest or negligence.
Early AIFF communication acknowledged the “visa delay” explanation, suggesting leniency. Yet, a full disciplinary review is expected to assess whether the club acted with reasonable diligence. The outcome will set a vital precedent for how the federation distinguishes between avoidable operational failures and unavoidable administrative crises—a distinction crucial to maintaining fairness across a multi-tier football ecosystem.
Dempo SC’s insertion stabilizes the tournament’s operations, ensuring the 16-team format remains intact. The choice also eliminates the risk of travel or accommodation bottlenecks that might have arisen had another I-League club from outside Goa been called up. From a sporting lens, Dempo’s presence transforms the tone of Group A from volatile to methodical. The Goan side may lack the firepower of RKFC but compensates with organization and crowd support. Their matches especially the opening fixture against East Bengal on October 25—will now serve as a barometer for how prepared the ISL clubs are against disciplined, defensive opposition in humid coastal conditions.
Lessons for the AIFF: Reforming the Process
The incident forces introspection within Indian football’s administrative structure. The AIFF’s immediate handling of the crisis was efficient, but its preventive systems remain weak. The following structural reforms could prevent such occurrences:
- Mandatory Pre-Tournament Visa Audits: All clubs should be required to submit verified visa application statuses 30 days before kickoff, allowing AIFF intervention where necessary.
- Differentiated Withdrawal Protocols: A clear framework distinguishing between elective and non-elective withdrawals must be codified, ensuring fair but firm accountability.
- Replacement Transparency: Future replacement criteria should prioritize ranking merit first, followed by logistical feasibility, to avoid perceptions of ad-hoc decision-making.
- Administrative Support for I-League Clubs: Establish a small centralized unit within the AIFF dedicated to assisting lower-tier clubs with international regulatory compliance.
Real Kashmir’s withdrawal may appear an isolated incident, but it speaks volumes about the operational disparities between the ISL and I-League ecosystems. As Indian football seeks structural unification and professional stability, administrative efficiency must evolve alongside sporting progress. The AIFF Super Cup will still proceed, but its early turbulence serves as a reminder that competitive success is inseparable from organizational competence.
For the federation and its member clubs, this episode must catalyze reforms not just to save face this season, but to ensure that Indian football’s growing ambitions are never again undone by paperwork.
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