On one of the biggest nights in Indian club football, FC Goa made an indelible impression as they took on Saudi giants Al Nassr in the AFC Champions League Two at the Fatorda Stadium. While the Gaurs lost their most high-profile continental match 1-2, the occasion became special when local boy Brison Fernandes scored for the home crowd.
However, despite all the glitter of the highly anticipated clash, some adverse incidents had a negative impact on the special occasion.
FC Goa CEO Ravi Puskur took to the social media platform on Thursday X to express some of his grievances, saying: «What should have been a period of excitement and preparation turned into one of the most difficult periods I have experienced in football.»
Logistical problems
Organizing a competition of this magnitude requires countless hours of planning and a certain process must be followed. Before the match, instead of celebrating the occasion and the sport itself, Puskur said the club faced unwarranted demands and had to cope with unforeseen changes that made the situation difficult.
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«There was a lot of demand for free tickets. Many government agencies that did not have tickets used their power to get people into the stadium.» Puskur told Sports stars on Thursday.
Even in a match like this, where safety is of the utmost importance, a fan managed to cross the barriers and enter the field.
Fans wait outside the stadium ahead of the match between FC Goa and Al Nassr. | Photo credit: X @FCGoaOfficial
Fans wait outside the stadium ahead of the match between FC Goa and Al Nassr. | Photo credit: X @FCGoaOfficial
«Despite the increased police presence, a fan managed to cross the field and enter the ground. This was a clear security error,» Puskur added.
Financial consequences
A keen football observer would have noticed that FC Goa players played against Al Nassr without the logo of a main sponsor on their jerseys.
In high-profile matches like these, where clubs have a huge opportunity to earn revenue, mainly through sponsorship, FC Goa have missed the opportunity to do so, and this is directly linked to the dire situation Indian football finds itself in.
«We approached a total of 700 brands for sponsorship. Of those 700, about 250 to 300 were not interested when the term ‘Indian football’ was used. The rest said, even if we do this one match, what is the next step after that?
«They asked when the competition would start because they wanted to sign a contract for at least one year, which is normal. We cannot guarantee that because we have no guarantees ourselves after the November Super Cup. Then we have the AFC Champions League matches that end in December,» Puskur added.
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With the uncertainty surrounding Indian football (particularly around the start of the Indian Super League), clubs such as Bengaluru FC and Odisha FC have suspended operations, but FC Goa was one to continue its services: «To manage the organization on an annual basis, just like any other business, you need to know how much is coming in and how much is going out and certain operational assumptions need to be made. We have met our contractual obligations to date fulfilled, but income is very low because sponsorship is currently virtually closed. This puts us in a very precarious position for the future.”
The way forward
While there have been certain developments, with the Supreme Court accepting the draft constitution of the All India Football Federation prepared by former judge L. Nageswara Rao, there is still no clear information on who the AIFF will sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with, which is imperative for the ISL to begin.
On maintaining communication with the players and staff, Puskur said the club has been absolutely transparent and presented the reality to them as it is. The FC Goa CEO emphasized that things are not all rosy at the moment, but the company is hanging in there hoping that there will be light at the end of the tunnel soon.
«We have organized competition from the AFC and the Super Cup at the moment, so we are focusing on that. If there are developments that will force us to make decisions, I will inform them (players and staff). Let things come into the light, and then we will react and adapt to the situation, because that is what is needed here,» Puskur concluded.
Published on October 23, 2025
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