Fresh controversy has erupted just as the 2025-26 Indian Super League (ISL) season appeared ready for kickoff, with I-League side Churchill Brothers seeking induction into the top tier. The move that has drawn sharp and unified opposition from all existing ISL clubs.
Churchill Brothers had provisionally finished atop the I-League standings last season. However, the title race took a dramatic turn when Inter Kashi, which had earlier been docked four points by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Appeals Committee, successfully challenged the sanction at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The ruling overturned the deduction, elevating Inter Kashi to champion status and securing its promotion to the ISL.
Despite that outcome, an AIFF Executive Committee member along with two Co-opted members wrote to the federation requesting Churchill’s inclusion in the ISL. The AIFF subsequently scheduled an Executive Committee meeting on February 9 to discuss the matter, but it failed to take place due to a lack of quorum. The meeting has now been rescheduled for Thursday at noon and will be conducted virtually.
Meanwhile, ISL clubs have taken a firm stand. In a joint letter addressed to the AIFF on February 9, the clubs made their position clear. “As the collective clubs participating in the ISL, we wish to place on record a clear and unanimous position that the league composition for the forthcoming season must remain unchanged and that the addition of any new club at this stage is not acceptable,” the letter stated.
The clubs outlined seven major concerns regarding Churchill’s potential entry, citing absence of sporting merit, financial and operational viability, and the lack of a defined legal framework. They also warned of disruption to the league’s format and calendar, possible financial and commercial prejudice, and the impact on contractual and sporting commitments.
“Any mid-cycle or ad-hoc inclusion of a club outside of an established sporting pathway undermines competitive integrity and sets a precedent contrary to merit-based participation, thereby compromising the credibility of the competition,” the clubs cautioned.
The upcoming ISL season will feature 91 matches in a shortened format, with 14 teams playing each other once, either home or away. Defending champion Mohun Bagan Super Giant is set to face Kerala Blasters on opening day, while newly promoted Inter Kashi will meet FC Goa on February 14.
As the league prepares for kickoff, the governance battle off the field now threatens to overshadow the action on it.
