Mohun Bagan Super Giant players have found themselves in a ‘no man’s land’ due to a fresh standoff between the club and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) ahead of the Unity Cup in London next week.
The Unity Cup, which falls outside the FIFA window, will see India play Jamaica on May 26, followed by another match against Nigeria or Zimbabwe four days later.
Bagan have eight players in the provisional squad for the tournament and it is believed that visa formalities have been completed for at least seven of them.
However, hours before their flight to Britain on Saturday, Bagan refused to accept injury responsibilities for players in the upcoming tour.
«We stick to the rules, which say we are not obliged to release players for matches outside the official period. And if we release them, the Federation has to take responsibility, or the players have to take it upon themselves,» a club source said. Sports stars.
«The club has previously had to deal with the injury cases of Ashique Kuruniyan, Subhasish Bose and others. So the club will need answers before taking a decision on these players (heading for Unity Cup).»
Which players from Bagan were in India’s provisional squad?
Vishal Kaith, Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Lalengmawia Ralte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Anirudh Thapa, Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco and Suhail Ahmad Bhat will be part of the Indian team for the Unity Cup.
Can Bagan choose not to release the players?
According to FIFA’s Rules on the Status and Transfer of Players (Appendix 1.1), a player may only be released for national duty one week before the official period.
The official window starts on June 1, two days after the Unity Cup ends. This allows clubs to take advantage of the option not to let their players go.
Sports stars I contacted a number of players, but none were available to comment on the matter.
«The talks are still going on. It seems unlikely but we are still hopeful,» said an AIFF source. “The biggest challenge will be a replacement this late, with visa approval, as the coach was ideally looking for at least 23 members in the squad.”
India coach Khalid Jamil also faced an issue surrounding the availability of defender Anwar Ali, who is unlikely to travel for the tournament. The centre-back recently won the Indian Super League title with East Bengal, but is struggling with match fitness after a long season.
Published on May 23, 2026
