FC Goa players staged a silent protest during the opening seconds of their AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) match against FC Istiklol of Tajikistan on Tuesday evening over the Indian football crisis.
As the referee blew the whistle for kick-off at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the Gaurs players stayed put and actively refused to play to draw global attention to the “deeper uncertainty” currently crippling the Indian football ecosystem.
The Indian Super League (ISL) club quickly issued a statement on social media to clarify its position, saying the gesture was a symbolic plea for clarity on the future of domestic football.
“This action was solely intended to draw attention to the wider challenges facing the domestic football ecosystem,” the club said in an official statement.
FC Goa stressed that the protest was not a slight against its opponent or the AFC, but rather a necessary signal of the anguish felt by players and staff who have seen the ISL and I-League stall due to administrative and commercial impasses.
Published on December 24, 2025
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