Big blow for Indian football: Mohun Bagan banned, fined by AFC

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has delivered a significant setback to Indian football by banning Mohun Bagan Super Giant from all continental competitions for one season. The club has also been fined over USD 100,000 after withdrawing from the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Two.

The AFC's decision follows a period of administrative disarray within Indian football, with the schedules for domestic leagues still unconfirmed. The AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee determined that Mohun Bagan wrongly withdrew from the competition by refusing to travel to Iran for a group-stage match against Sepahan SC.

Specifically, the club was found to have violated Article 5 of the ACL Two Competition Regulations, which addresses withdrawal from the competition, according to Decision VVC 20251217DC21. The penalties include a USD 50,000 fine, an order to pay USD 50,729 in damages to the AFC and Sepahan SC, and disqualification from the next AFC club competition for which they qualify, a ban extending up to and including the 2027–28 season.

Furthermore, Mohun Bagan will forfeit all subsidies related to their participation in the 2025-26 ACL Two season, including participation fees, performance bonuses, and travel subsidies. Any amounts already received must be repaid within 30 days. The AFC has mandated that the compensation be paid within 30 days of the decision's communication.

A Mohun Bagan official, speaking to PTI, labeled the decision as "biased," noting that the matter is currently under review by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. The official stated the club remains hopeful for a resolution, but may pay the fines.

The club cited player safety concerns as the reason for not traveling to Iran, stating that six foreign players declined the trip following advisories from their respective governments. Mohun Bagan had requested a change of venue and subsequently appealed to CAS. The AFC, however, considered the club's actions a withdrawal, leading to the disciplinary action. A similar situation occurred the previous season when Mohun Bagan did not travel to Iran to face Tractor SC, but they avoided sanctions at that time.

In separate rulings, the AFC also fined the All India Football Federation (AIFF) USD 1,000 for a delayed restart during India’s AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Bangladesh on November 18, 2025. FC Goa was fined USD 5,000 for failing to ensure stadium safety during their ACL Two group-stage match against Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia on October 22, after a spectator encroached on the field.

These AFC actions occur amidst significant uncertainty in Indian football. The domestic season is in limbo due to the expiration of the 15-year agreement between Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and the AIFF on December 8, leaving the ISL, I-League, and I-League 2 schedules unconfirmed. The Union Sports Ministry, under Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, has intervened to mediate discussions with stakeholders to avert a collapse of the domestic calendar. A resolution is anticipated within the next week, as officials work to avoid India potentially missing a men’s domestic league season for the first time since 1996.