After weeks of uncertainty and drama, Churchill Brothers, the provisional I-League leaders, was adjudged champions for the 2024-25 season by the Appeals Committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday.
The AIFF confirmation of the Goan club’s title triumph, however, is unlikely to bring closure to one of the most turbulent seasons in Indian domestic football as Inter Kashi, the other claimant to the second-tier title, announcing their intention to approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following the Appeals Committee’s decision.
The championship outcome had been uncertain due to a dispute involving Inter Kashi, the newly-formed club who finished second in the league but were contesting the result of their match against Namdhari FC (which they lost 2-0), alleging that the opposition fielded an ineligible player – Brazilian midfielder Cledson C Silva.
The AIFF initially formed a disciplinary committee to investigate the matter, and the initial ruling awarded a 3-0 win to Inter Kashi which would have taken them two points clear of Churchill Brothers and clinched them the title. However, Namdhari appealed against the verdict and an appeal panel on Saturday ruled in Namdhari’s favour, thereby affirming Churchill Brothers as the champions.
As expected, the aggrieved party, hoping to gain promotion to the high-profile Indian Super League (ISL), said it will go to a higher adjudicating authority.
“Inter Kashi welcomes the order of the AIFF Appeals Committee following a protracted process which should have been wrapped up before the 6th of April. The conclusion of the hearing, and with it, the exhaustion of all internal dispute resolution processes, enables Inter Kashi to approach the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) for a truly free and fair hearing of the matter,” the club said in a statement.
“From the very beginning, Inter Kashi has been clear that the case involves a simple interpretation of rules and regulations based on some undisputed facts. Inter Kashi will keep no stone unturned to secure justice, and any celebration in the interim may ultimately prove to be premature in nature.”
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Bad blood
The seeds of tension between Churchill Brothers and Inter Kashi were sown even earlier, most notably in their clash in Goa late in the season. With both teams in title hunt and relations already frosty between them, the AIFF was forced to fly in referees from Nepal to officiate the game after both clubs expressed distrust in local referees. The match, billed as a potential title decider, ended in a stalemate but was riddled with on-field altercations, controversial decisions and post-match altercations.
Churchill eventually finished their campaign with 40 points following a 1-1 draw against Real Kashmir on the final day, seemingly enough to secure the title. But celebrations were put on ice almost immediately as a cloud of uncertainty settled over the final standings.
Since “winning the title” on April 6, Churchill Brothers were left in a state of limbo. Their outrage over the much-delayed decision-making process was no secret. The club accused the federation of dragging its feet and denying them their “rightful place and trophy.” In protest, Churchill also pulled out of the upcoming Super Cup, slamming what they termed the AIFF’s “unfair and opaque” seeding system.
The Appeals Committee’s verdict confirming Churchill Brothers as I-League champions also means that the club not only lifted the title but also secured the single coveted promotion slot to the ISL for the 2025–26 season — a return to top-tier football after more than a decade in the wilderness.
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“Today, we are officially crowned champions of the I-League 2024–25. This isn’t just a trophy — it’s a resurrection of belief, of dignity, of everything we stood for,” the club posted on its Instagram handle after the ruling.
With Inter Kashi set to approach CAS, it could be a long time before the final chapter in the race for the 2024-25 I-League title is written.
