AIFF Consults Clubs on Churchill Brothers' Potential ISL Entry
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has formally requested the considered views of all participating clubs regarding the possible inclusion of Churchill Brothers FC in the Indian Super League (ISL). This move comes as the top-tier league, which commenced on February 14 with 14 teams including I-League champions Inter Kashi, has already completed two rounds of matches.
Support from Goa and Delhi Clubs
In a significant development, two clubs – FC Goa and Sporting Club Delhi – have indicated they have no objection to the Goan side's participation, describing Churchill Brothers as a long-standing club in Indian football. Their emails, dated February 13, were cited by club president Churchill Alemao in his February 20 appeal to the AIFF, urging a reconsideration after the executive committee initially rejected the proposal on February 12.
Interestingly, Alemao's email references inclusion in the 2026-2027 ISL season, which senior AIFF officials noted could be a typing error, as the club has consistently pushed for entry into the current edition. AIFF Secretary General M Satyanarayan clarified in his Wednesday email to clubs that the correspondence from Goa and Delhi acknowledges the matter is sub-judice at the Swiss Federal Tribunal, with any decision contingent on legal proceedings.
Governance and Financial Considerations
Satyanarayan emphasized that the AIFF is seeking input from other clubs to uphold principles of good governance, transparency, and competition integrity. The email from Sporting Club Delhi further stipulated that any expansion of the league should require Churchill Brothers to bear all additional operational costs exclusively.
Representatives from Goa and Delhi were previously members of the ISL interim committee, a five-member group authorized to make decisions on behalf of other clubs with a majority of three. However, officials Ravi Puskur and Dhruv Sood have since resigned, and the committee has been dissolved.
Club Statements and Legal Context
In their supportive emails, FC Goa stated they would defer to the federation and collective judgement of other clubs for the competition's overall interest. Sporting Club Delhi's Dhruv Sood expressed no principled objection, citing considerations of fairness, subject to legal outcomes and maintaining competition stability.
Churchill Brothers' case is complicated by last season's I-League standings, where they initially finished top and were awarded the trophy. However, second-placed Inter Kashi successfully challenged point deductions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, leading to their eventual crowning as champions. This legal backdrop underscores the ongoing deliberations within Indian football's premier league structure.
