Inter Kashi seeks UP Football Association’s guidance to settle home-match venue in ISL this season
Sudeep Pakrashi: Inter Kashi, the 2024-25 I-League champion has officially received the letter of promotion to the ISL this season from the All India Football Federation on Wednesday. AIFF Deputy Secretary General Satyanarayan M confirmed the decision in a letter to Inter Kashi President Prithijit Das and the letter has said, ‘Following a thorough deliberation and in compliance with the final and binding award issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the AIFF is pleased to officially declare Inter Kashi FC as the champions of the I-League 2024-25. This decision is based on the AIFF’s obligations as a member of FIFA to respect and implement the decisions of CAS, which are integral to the regulatory framework of international football. The AIFF is pleased to confirm that, as champions of the I-League 2024-25, Inter Kashi FC is hereby promoted to the Indian Super League (ISL) for the upcoming season on sporting merit, subject to Inter Kashi fulfilling the League’s financial and technical mandates.’ The club now will have to solve one of its key issues, which is playing home-matches in the ISL. Inter Kashi selected Kalyani Stadium in West Bengal as the venue for the team’s home matches in the I-League for last two seasons. But Kalyani Stadium has not yet been approved for an ISL venue. Inter Kashi has been in the process to acquire the football stadium of Dr Sampurnanand Sports Complex in Sigra, Varanasi for last couple of years. But the stadium has not yet been ready. Prithiijit Das, the club president revealed while speaking to Parallel Sports, “The football ground and the stadium are there at Sigra, but uncertainty has loomed large over the completion of its construction work. Since we began our journey, we promised the AIFF that our home-match venue would be ready within five years. We will certainly play at home next year, but talking about this season, we will be discussing with UP Football Association as well as the AIFF for their guidance regarding our home-match venue.” Prithiijit hinted that after the organizer of the ISL is decided through the bidding process by the end of this month, they will have a clear picture about their home-match venue for the ISL. However, when asked about the building of team for the ISL, club president hinted also that most of the footballers who contributed to the team’s success in the I-League this season, are likely to be retained. The club will be roping in quality foreigners following advice from their Spanish coach Antonio Habas.
After ISL, tender for I-League to be floated also
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has planned to issue a commercial rights’ tender for the I-League and other national tournaments for this season. But the AIFF has not yet officially identified the champions and the two teams that have been relegated. At a virtual executive committee meeting on Thursday evening, arranged to discuss a pathway for the 2025-26 I-League, it was decided that this fresh tender will be called once the tender process for the ISL is put in motion. The I-League tender process will be launched once the deadline to submit request for quotation to manage and award ISL commercial rights ends on 14th September. “Since the contract handed I-League was only for one season, we don’t have a commercial partner in place for these tournaments now, so it was decided to float a fresh tender to attract bids for monetization,” an AIFF official said while speaking to News9 Sports. “We will have to start afresh for the I-League, so maybe after September 15 we will initiate the process once evaluation of RFQ’s for ISL is complete. Let the ISL process get over first, the I-League clubs also need time to assemble a squad,” another official said. No timeline has yet been set for bids for I-League, the 18th edition of which for 2024-25 began on November 22, 2024 and stretched till April 6, 2025. But like ISL, no such panel has been formed for the I-League yet as the same members are unlikely to be part of it, the AIFF official said.
AIFF receives a blow again as SC Bengaluru moves to CAS
SC Bengaluru club has moved to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for relief from relegation from the I-League, placing it in the same realm of uncertainty that the Indian Super League finds itself in, albeit for different reasons. On Tuesday, the appeal committee gave a further two weeks to clubs for filing written replies and set the next date of hearing on 23rd September, effectively stopping the entire relegation process in the I-League, adding to the All India Football Federation’s woes. It prompted SCB to drag the AIFF to the top-most court in sporting cases over procedural delay in deciding on relegation, according to reports from News9 Sports. As per the league table, Delhi FC is the other team to be relegated along with SCB, after finishing in the bottom two places of the 2024-25 I-League, following which the AIFF’s appeal committee issued a stay-order on their drop on 27th May. SCB has sought relief at the Swiss court for this inordinate delay, making it the third time that AIFF was taken to Lausanne for last season’s I-League. On 18th July, CAS had decided on the second division’s championship too, judging Inter Kashi as the I-League winner over Churchill Brothers, and would now determine which teams would be relegated to the second division. Not only did the federation lose both the cases against Kashi, but they were fined heavily too, putting considerable stress on its stretched coffers. Despite repeated reminders, the AIFF is yet to hand over the I-League trophy and the prize money to Inter Kashi. “Yes, they have gone to CAS. They are a club that got relegated and are trying to stay back in the I-League. They feel they have a case, so let’s see what CAS decides. As the matter is sub-judice, it won’t be wise to say anything more,” an AIFF official said. SCB (21 points in 22 matches) has demanded three points as per tournament rules against Namdhari FC for fielding an ‘ineligible’ player against them, and should CAS endorse their claim, Aizawl FC (23 points) would go down. Though the ISL has been put on an indefinite hold due to a contractual logjam and depends on the Supreme Court directive for a way forward, no information has been forthcoming on when the I-League would start. Clubs remain idle on the transfer market, which closes on August 31, and amidst the prevailing air of uncertainty in Indian football, none is willing to make any commitment for the I-League that usually runs from October to March. For the third time in the last two weeks, the league committee would meet on Wednesday to decide on Sudeva Delhi FC’s request to be reinstated in I-League 2 despite failing to comply with the disciplinary committee’s registration ban.
SC Bengaluru’s appeal dismissed by AIFF; Still granted ‘interim relief’ from Appeal Committee!
Debutant in the elite I-League 2024-25, SC Bengaluru received a blow in their effort to avoid relegation from the League as the All India Football Federation (AIFF)’s appeals committee dismissed Bengaluru’s appeal for three points based on their complaint against Namdhari FC. SC Bengaluru finished 11th on the League table and are now staring at relegation alongside Delhi FC. The matter pertains to the case involving Namdhari FC player Cledson Da Silva, also known as De, who was used as an ineligible player during Namdhari’s 2-1 win over SC Bengaluru on March 30th of this year. SC Bengaluru had lodged an official complaint to the AIFF, where they alleged that Namdhari had played De in the game, even though the Brazilian ought to have been serving out a suspension. They pointed at the Namdhari player picking up seven yellow cards of the 2024-25 campaign before Namdhari’s 3-1 win over Gokulam Kerala on 17th March, with De also getting sent off against the Malabarians. Hence, SC Bengaluru claimed that De should’ve been serving a two-match suspension for the accumulated red card and yellow cards and should have been suspended for the game against them. However, the AIFF appeal committee has now come up with its verdict on the matter and dismissed SC Bengaluru’s complaint, giving Namdhari FC all three points for their win. In their verdict, the AIFF claims that Namdhari acted in ‘good faith’ and had also emailed the AIFF competitions department to verify the opportunity to play De against SC Bengaluru before the game. In their statement on the matter, the AIFF appeals committee stated, “The abovementioned facts establish that the club acted in good faith and served the suspensions by the regulations. However, the defendant club is warned that henceforth, the club is advised to exercise precautions by itself while fielding a player, and this decision shall not be taken as a precedent in any of the future cases.” It also claimed that the reason De was not in the squad for Namdhari’s final game of the I-League campaign against Aizawl FC and was the committee’s decision to uphold the red card that the Brazilian picked up against Gokulam Kerala. However, the AIFF Appeal Committee has still granted ‘interim relief’ from the relegation to both SC Bengaluru and Delhi FC after the Delhi-based club argued that key provisions under the AIFF Disciplinary Code and constitutional protections were ignored. The Appeals Committee acknowledged the club’s right to contest the decision and raised concerns over the lack of precedent and due process, especially given AIFF’s history of waiving relegation under special circumstances. The matter is set for further hearing, giving both clubs a fighting chance to retain their place in the I-League.
Caitano Fernandes fires the AIFF secretariat, demanding an immediate show-cause notice to the Deputy Secretary General
Sudeep Pakrashi: Goa Football Association (GFA) President Caitano Jose Fernandes has sent a strong email to the AIFF President and its Executive Committee, demanding that an immediate show-cause notice be issued to the Federation’s Deputy Secretary General, Satyanarayan M. Dr. Fernandes, in his email to the AIFF president and the executive committee members, has written, ‘As discussed in the meeting of GFA executive committee on 25th July 2025, I write to you as both member of the AIFF League Committee and the President of Goa Football Association that I am deeply perturbed by the recent communication from the AIFF Legal Counsel in the CAS hearing concerning Inter Kashi’s appeal against the AIFF Appeal Committee’s verdict.’ Fernandes has specifically alleged that the AIFF secretariat, under the direction of the Deputy Secretary General, has deliberately misrepresented and deliberations and majority decision of the League Committee and individual members’ opinion on the re-registration of an Inter Kashi foreign player. According to Caitano’s email, ‘This conduct not only undermines the collective integrity of our governance structures but also constitutes a gross breach of trust toward those members and officials who dedicate their time and expertise to the betterment of Indian football.’ The GFA president also complains about the incompetence and misrepresentation by the Deputy Secretary General and writes, ‘The subsequent CAS ruling on the issue, which went against the AIFF, cast a long shadow over the institution’s reputation and on the world stage.’ As a aftermath, the GFA president has demanded an immediate show-cause notice to be served to the Deputy Secretary General, where he must clarify why his service should not be terminated. Simultaneously, in another demand, the GFA president asked the AIFF secretariat to start an independent inquiry into the role of the AIFF secretariat in undermining the League Committee’s decision-making process. Dr. Fernandes has also mentioned that he will regrettably have no alternative but to pursue judicial recourse to seek appropriate redress if the Federation fails to initiate decisive action against the Deputy Secretary General. However, none of the AIFF secretariat was available for their comments on the Caitano Fernandes email.
AIFF admits to CAS about its ‘League Committee’s incompetence to decide on Inter Kashi’s re-registration of Mario Barco!
Its own league committee was ill-equipped to decide on Inter Kashi’s re-registration of foreign player Mario Barco, the All India Football Federation conceded to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in an apparent admission of a miscarriage of procedure while dealing with the issue that ultimately decided the I-League championship. According to reports from News9 Sports, the federation, through a 240-page document, argued why its appeal committee’s decision to deduct four points from Inter Kashi and declare Churchill Brothers as I-League champions was ‘legally sound’ and based on a correct interpretation of the I-League regulations. “The re-registration of Mr. Barco was impermissible under the governing rules, and the AIFF Appeals Committee rightly held that Inter Kashi FC had fielded an ineligible player and that the consequences under the AIFF Disciplinary Code and the AIFF Regulations on Status and Transfer of Players must follow,” AIFF said in its initial submission. The matter had landed in the lap of the appeal committee via the disciplinary committee after approval of re-registration from the league committee, whose opinion tainted the entire process, the federation told CAS. “…, the AIFF League Committee’s act of suggesting that the re-registration of Mr. Barco may be approved, in the absence of a statutory provision for exercising such authority, was null and void in law, incapable of being cured. Accordingly, the reliance placed by Inter Kashi FC on the League Committee’s opinion/suggestion is misconceived and untenable. The federation noted that, as per its statutes, an approval from the executive committee was needed for the league committee’s decisions or suggestions to come into effect, which didn’t happen in this instance. “The consequent step taken by the AIFF Competitions Department to enable the CMS portal should not in any manner be construed as its decision. Rather, each club is still liable to comply with the regulations and bears strict liability pertaining to rule violations. “…the AIFF League Committee is a committee empowered to make suggestions or decisions on league-related matters, which (when read in conjunction with the AIFF League Committee’s definition under Article 1.13 of the I-League Regulations) inherently require ratification or endorsement by the AIFF Executive Committee to acquire formal effect, particularly where such decisions impact the eligibility framework and regulatory integrity of the competition. “Notably, in the present case, no such ratification of the League Committee Opinion/suggestion for permitting Mr. Barco’s re-registration was ever placed on record or effected. “The League Committee has no independent adjudicatory or executive authority to render binding interpretations or grant approvals. Its jurisdiction is entirely recommendatory, and its outputs, at best, carry consultative value subject to further ratification by the competent bodies – in this case, the AIFF Executive Committee. “It is submitted that the AIFF League Committee, therefore, did not purport to pass a conclusive order or decision, but merely flagged a possibility that was neither ratified nor finalized by any competent authority, including the AIFF Executive Committee.”
Inter Kashi delighted to have the ‘reward’ of justice; Churchill Brothers find ‘sheer conspiracy’ by the AIFF!
Sudeep Pakrashi: Inter Kashi president Prithijit Das, elated with the CAS decision on Friday, said, “We won the last match of the I-League. It was won on the pitch and we were awarded by the highest court of justice.” For the second time within one month, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned the All India Football Federation’s appeal committee’s decision to rule in favour of Inter Kashi and make them champions of the I-League. “The appeal filed on 4 June 2025 by Inter Kashi FC against the decision issued on 31 May 2025 by the Appeal Committee of the All-India Football Federation is partially upheld. “The decision issued on 31 May 2025 by the Appeal Committee of the All-India Football Federation is set aside. The AIFF shall forthwith declare Inter Kashi FC as the winner of the I-League 2024-25 season,” sole arbitrator Frans de Weger ruled in the CAS order. The I-League points table would be adjusted with Kashi finishing on top with 42 points, two ahead of Churchill, with Kashmir third on 37, and Namdari fourth with 29. CAS also directed that the AIFF will bear 55 percent of the costs of the arbitration, with the remaining 45 percent equally divided among Chuchill, Namdhari, and Kashmir (15 percent each), and it would be served to the parties separately. The AIFF would also have to pay CHF 3,000 (around Rs 3.22 lakh) while Churchill, Namdhari, and Kashmir have to shell out CHF 1,000 (around Rs 1.07 lakh) to Kashi as legal contribution for costs and other expenses incurred during these arbitral proceedings. However, the Inter Kashi president added, commenting, “It is a great day not for Inter Kashi, but for Indian football. The other new football clubs that are willing to come up will be inspired by the decision. More importantly, the investors who are with these new football clubs will not lose interest after a new club wins the I-League title after overcoming several obstructions which were created by a few other I-League clubs.” Simultaneously, the president’s advice to those clubs who lodged complaints against Inter Kashi for fielding their foreign recruit, Mario Barco, illegally in the second phase of the League, was that “Mario Barco was re-registered in the AIFF and he played in seven matches in the second phase of the League. The clubs should try to know the truth from AIFF instead of moving to the court.” Churchill Brothers, the Goan club, had already been handed over the I-League trophy and announced I-League champions by the AIFF president in a ceremony in Goa and even in the executive committee meeting on 7th April. Churchill Alemao, the club’s founder and the president, shocked and irked with Friday’s decision, explained, “It is a ‘sheer conspiracy’ by the AIFF. They gave us the I-League trophy at a function in Goa. They announced us as League champions in the executive committee meeting on 7th April. But they have not yet given us the prize money! We had assumed what was going on. Why did AIFF not let us know about the re-registration of their foreign footballer at that time? I have spent so much money on football throughout my life, and AIFF cheated me!” Alemao also raised questions about how CAS intervened in the matter. Did CAS solve Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini’s corruption? When India have the highest court, then why did they move to CAS? However, it is believed that Churchill Brothers have started planning to make a strong protest against the decision, and they might even move to the Supreme Court.
I-League commercial partner requests AIFF not to claim pending dues from its domestic meets!
The commercial partner of the I-League and a few other major domestic competitions has requested the All India Football Federation (AIFF) not to claim the pending dues, which amounts to around Rs 2.5 crore. According to a report from News9 Sports, the AIFF AIFF signed a commercial rights agreement for I-League, I-League 2, Indian Women’s League, Santosh Trophy and Rajmata Jijabai Trophy (senior women’s national championship) with Shrachi Sports Endeavour Pvt Ltd for the production and broadcast of 338 matches in the 2024-25 season in December last year. As per the agreement, Shrachi was due to pay Rs 2.5 crore in four instalments, each amounting to Rs 62,50,000 (25 percent). The first instalment was agreed to be paid on “execution of the agreement”, followed by the second one “no later than seven days before the commencement of the first competition of the season scheduled under this agreement”. The deal was signed in the presence of the AIFF president, Kalyan Chaubey, and reported on the official website of the AIFF on 2nd December last year. But the AIFF could not press for the payment due on “execution of the agreement”. As its reflection, the second installment has not yet been paid, although the season kicked off in earnest. The third instalment was to be made “within seven days of the completion of fifty per cent (50%) of the matches of the season” while the fourth and final one was to be paid “no later than seven days before the commencement of the last competition of the season”. Senior men’s and women’s club leagues and national championship matches were agreed to be streamed on the SSEN app, while 110 of the 132 I-League matches were to be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network. Not only were these conditions never fully met as the season concluded in April, but Shrachi is yet to pay any of the four instalments, despite being sent a reminder. Instead, through a letter, they have requested the federation to waive off the entire amount, claiming a loss of around Rs 1.50 crore. “We have fulfilled all contractual obligations but faced some infrastructural issues leading to the absence of live feed in some matches. We have informed the AIFF about the challenges faced in delivery. Now it is up to them to consider it,” a Shrachi official told News9 Sports, preferring not to be named as the matter is under consideration. “Time is of the essence about the Right Holder’s payment obligations hereunder. Interest shall be payable by the Rights Holder to the AIFF on any late payments of any amount, including any instalment of the Rights Fee at a rate of twelve per cent (12%) per annum,” it is written in the agreement paper. “All payments under this Agreement herein shall be due on the dates specified herein from the Rights Holder from the AIFF, irrespective of the receipt of an invoice from the AIFF.” At its executive committee meeting on Wednesday, the AIFF formed a three-member panel to deliberate and review the request, while an Ex Co member proposed to extend the deal with a high concession so that they make up for the losses incurred this season. It was met with objection from certain members who wondered why such favours were being considered for the company that has defaulted on payments at a time when the AIFF is in dire need of funds. “Why didn’t the AIFF ask for the 25% signing-on amount and the second instalment as per the deal?” a member wondered. The newly formed committee is expected to take around a month to review Shrachi’s request and then recommend a way forward.
AIFF accepts the ‘invited’ former Indian coaches’ proposal of appointing an Indian national coach; Decides to issue a show-cause notice to Bhaichung
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) in its executive committee meeting at the Football House, New Delhi, on Wednesday, has accepted the advice of the former Indian coaches on the appointment issue of the new senior national coach. The eminent former Indian coaches like Dronacharya awardee Armando Colaco, and Bimal Ghosh, then Harjinder Singh, Tababi Debi, Shabbir Ali, Climax Lawrence, and Tababi Debi were invited to the meeting as special guests. Along with them, national team director Subrata Paul and Sabir Pasha were also in the meeting. The eminent former coaches’ advice to the executive committee was to prefer an Indian coach, and they also reportedly advised the executive committee to issue an advertisement for the appointment of a new coach as early as possible. It is believed that the AIFF wants to appoint the new senior national coach by the end of this month. The senior national team are scheduled to take part in their remaining two Asian Cup qualifiers in October. However, it is learned that the AIFF had also requested on the day that Manolo Marquez continue with the senior national team, who had already submitted a written resignation. But Marquez reportedly again rejected the request on the day. The AIFF has taken another important decision on the day that the I-League clubs will not be able to field more than three foreign footballers at a time in the forthcoming I-League, although the clubs will be allowed to register five foreign footballers. The executive committee, however, has decided to appeal to the FSDL, the organizer of ISL, not to stick to their previous terms of no-relegation in the ISL. Simultaneously, the AIFF, in the same e-mail, will also request the FSDL to consider the interest of the senior national team and restrict it to three foreign footballers at the same time in a match. Significantly, it is learned that a team of Fifa delegates, possibly under the leadership of legendary Arsene Wenger, now chief of Fifa’s Global Football Development, is likely to visit the Fifa-AIFF elite academy in Bhubaneswar and conduct a seminar on 7th October. AIFF also wants to conduct its Annual General Meeting there on the day. In another major decision, the AIFF is likely to send a show-cause e-mail to former Indian captain Bhaichung Bhutia for making a statement against the AIFF president at a recent media conference. Bhaichung, now in Sikkim, stated while speaking to Parallel Sports, “I also heard about the news from the media. I feel they have taken such a decision as I raised my voice against the AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey’s lackluster administrative activities. It is he whose leadership has taken Indian football to decadence. It cannot be that no one will raise their voice against such mismanagement and administrative failure. At least I will not be silent. He wants to silence the voice by issuing the notice. I will reply once I receive the notice.”
The new entrant in the elite I-League Chanmari FC waits for its dues from AIFF!
Sudeep Pakrashi: Chanmari FC, the new entrant in the upcoming elite I-League, claims that the club has not yet received the prize money it deserves for finishing as runners-up in the Third and Second Division I-League in the last two seasons, respectively. A senior club executive when asked about the issue, revealed on condition of anonymity, “We have not yet received the prize money after being runners-up in the Third Division I-league which is nearly Rs 2-3 Lakh, and also the prize money after being runners-up in the Second Division I-League which is approximately Rs 5 Lakhs. Additionally, we deserve financial assistance as promised by the AIFF which should be approximately Rs 6-7 Lakh.” The club official claims that in total they deserve nearly Rs 15 Lakh from the AIFF and considering the follow-up of the matter, the club official revealed a couple of emails were sent. The AIFF, in its last response in May, affirmed that all the dues would be cleared after a gap of three to four weeks. Simultaneously, the AIFF imposed fines on the team for the red and yellow cards the footballers received during I-League-3 and I-League-2 and according to the club official, the penalty amount could be nearly Rs 2-3 Lakh. The senior official added, “We will pay it. Additionally, we will also have to pay the licensing fees to the Federation. But if we had received the dues from AIFF it would have helped us to build up a competent side for the elite I-League.” Chanmari FC is run by a society, financed mainly by well-wishers and the local community. But the club’s top brass is aware of the fact that they need to build-up a competent team for the elite I-League. According to plans, the club will observe the team’s performance in the forthcoming Mizoram Premier League, starting from the middle of next month under the guidance of their present coach Rochhingpuia before making the final decision for the elite I-League. But, the club does not seem fascinated to rope in foreign coaches for the elite I-League. Rather they might be in search of an experienced Indian coach for the I-League. The AIFF finance committee will reportedly look after the issue and clear the dues as early as possible.
