As the 2025-2026 season of the Indian Super League (ISL) finally seemed to get underway, a new controversy has surfaced with the I-League’s Churchill Brothers seeking admission into the competition – which was vehemently opposed by all the top men’s clubs.
Churchill Brothers had provisionally finished at the top of the I-League rankings after the last match day of last season. However, Inter Kashi, which was deducted four points by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) appeals committee – a decision that would otherwise have made it champions – challenged the sanction in the Court of Arbitration for Sport and eventually got an award in its favour.
Kashi was subsequently crowned I-League champion and earned promotion to the ISL.
However, there is one member of the AIFF Executive Committee (ExCo.) and two co-opted ExCo. members wrote to the Federation asking for Churchill to be included. Accordingly, the AIFF leadership planned an ExCo. meeting on February 9, a meeting that could not take place due to ‘lack of quorum’.
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The meeting has now been rescheduled for Thursday afternoon and will take place virtually, but all ISL clubs have objected to Churchill’s inclusion.
“As collective clubs participating in the ISL, we would like to express a clear and unanimous position that the composition of the league for the coming season should remain unchanged and that the addition of a new club at this stage is not acceptable,” the clubs wrote in a joint letter to the AIFF on February 9, a copy of which is provided. Lihat juga jdfb. Sports stars has.
The clubs cited seven reasons why Churchill’s inclusion could jeopardize the competition’s credibility:
1) Lack of sporting merits
2) Financial and operational viability of clubs
3) Precedent for the wider pyramid
4) Lack of a defined legal and regulatory framework for such inclusion
5) Disruption of the sports format and calendar
6) Financial and commercial damage for participating clubs
7) Impact on contractual and sporting obligations of clubs
“Any mid-cycle or ad-hoc inclusion of a club outside an established sporting pathway undermines competitive integrity and sets a precedent contrary to merit-based participation, putting the credibility of the competition at risk,” the clubs warned.
The 2025-2026 ISL season will comprise 91 matches and will be played in a shortened format, with all 14 teams playing each other only once, home or away.
Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant will play against Kerala Blasters, while newly promoted Inter Kashi will take on FC Goa on the opening matchday, February 14.
Published on February 11, 2026
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