MBSG likely to face ‘Asia ban’ from AFC!
Mohun Bagan Super Giants are likely to face suspension from the Asian Football Council for a few more seasons from participating in the AFC Club competitions after the team refused to travel to Iran to take part in their AFC Champions League-2 away match against Sepahan FC due to security reasons. According to Article 5.2, MBSG were deemed to have withdrawn from the ACL-2, the second-tier club competition in Asia. Bagan also declined to visit Iran last season for safety reasons but avoided sanctions—apart from removal from the competition—as it was deemed a ‘force majeure’ situation. AFC’s relevant committees will now review the situation in detail after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) denied MBSG’s urgent request for an ex parte provisional ruling. Notably, the AFC highlighted that two other teams, from the UAE and Bahrain, traveled to Iran to participate in continental matches. Additionally, a match commissioner from Kolkata, Arunava Bhattacharya, traveled to Iran for Esteghlal FC’s home fixture against Al-Muharraq. Article 5.7 of the competition regulations says that if a club pulls out of the competition at any stage, the case will be referred to AFC Disciplinary ad Ethics Committee and along with a penalty of at least 50000 US Dollars, the club might be suspended from participating in one or more future seasons of the AFC Club competitions.
Iran ensures a berth in the Women’s AFC Asian Cup finals, follows India and Bangladesh
Iran has booked the final ticket to the women’s Asian Cup, beating Jordan 2-1, with the cast now set for the 2026 tournament in Australia. Marziyeh Jafari’s side defied the odds with a victory in Amman on Saturday, ensuring it will be at the event in Perth, the Gold Coast, and Sydney from March 1-21. Defending champion China, Asian powerhouses Japan and South Korea, along with the host nation, all qualified automatically. Joining Iran in advancing through the qualifiers were India, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, and North Korea. “It’s an incredibly exciting time for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 — the final 12 teams are locked in,” said local organising committee chief Sarah Walsh on Sunday. “There’s a real energy building, not just here in Australia but across Asia, and this diverse, high-quality line-up shows just how far women’s football has come.” The tournament draw will take place in Sydney on July 29.