New Delhi: Indian football can’t seem to catch a break. On Wednesday, the Asian Football Confederation imposed a continental ban and fined Mohun Bagan Super Giant for their refusal to play a game in Iran.
Mohun Bagan have been ordered to pay more than $100,000 (around Rs 90 lakh)—which includes a $50,000 (Rs 45 lakh) fine and an additional $50,729 (Rs 45.7 lakh) in damages and losses. The team refused to travel to Iran for a group stage clash with Sepahan SC as part of the AFC Champions League Two.
The Kolkata-based football team cited a lack of security assurances and medical insurance coverage as reasons for their refusal. The club has five players from Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom, countries that have advised their citizens against travelling to Iran.
“The players decided they can’t take this risk, where lives and their families; futures are at stake. So, we have to stand with them,” a Mohun Bagan official told Reuters.
The AFC’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee also decided to exclude Mohun Bagan from the next edition of the tournament they qualify for, all the way up to the 2027-28 season. The committee found the club in breach of Article 5 (Withdrawal from the Competition) of the regulations.
The committee also ruled that the club would forfeit all subsidies—including participation fees and performance bonuses—linked to its involvement in the tournament.
Mohun Bagan had initially requested a venue change and later approached the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), based in Lausanne, Switzerland, for a resolution.
“It’s a biased decision against our club. Our matter is pending at CAS and we’re hopeful of a resolution. However, the club may pay up the fines,” a Mohun Bagan official told PTI.
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Series of sanctions
The penalties land amid ongoing turmoil in Indian football. After the 15-year partnership between the AIFF (All India Football Federation) and Football Sports Development Limited ended in December, the future of the ISL (Indian Super League), I-League, and I-League 2 remains unclear.
In a separate ruling in October, the AFC also fined FC Goa $5,000 (4.5 lakh) for failing to ensure stadium safety during a group-stage match against Saudi Arabia-based Al Nassr. The club violated Article 64 (Organisation of Matches) when a spectator invaded the field of play.
The AFC also fined AIFF $1,000 (Rs 90,167) after Indian representatives caused a delay of 1 minute and 43 seconds in commencing the second half of a match between India and Bangladesh in a final round qualifier of the 2027 AFC Asia Cup.
The series of AFC sanctions underlines how Indian football is being squeezed on multiple fronts—administrative uncertainty at home and stricter compliance demands abroad.
Mohun Bagan’s case has brought player safety and travel to unstable regions into focus. But the ruling also sends a clear message: clubs and federations cannot ignore the rules. How the AIFF deals with its internal problems and how clubs balance governance with player safety will play a key role in deciding how Indian football is viewed in Asia in the coming years.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)