Latest news with #AIFF


Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Inter Kashi pip Churchill Brothers in topsy-turvy I-League title race after second CAS victory
The final points table leaves Inter Kashi at the top with 42 points, two more than second-placed Churchill Brothers PANAJI: Three months after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) declared Churchill Brothers FC as the I-League winners and hastily handed over the trophy during a ceremony in Goa, the federation announced Inter Kashi FC as the new champions on Friday. The announcement follows orders from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), after the Switzerland-based tribunal set aside the AIFF appeals committee decision, which had adjudged that the re-registration of Mario Barco by the Varanasi-based club made him an ineligible player. Points were forfeited following a protest by three clubs – Churchill Brothers, Namdhari and Real Kashmir -- leaving them lower in the table. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The CAS panel, an independent international body that settles disputes related to sport through arbitration, however set aside the appeals committee decision issued on May 31 and ordered AIFF to 'adjust the points table of the I-League and declare Inter Kashi as champions.' The final points table leaves Kashi at the top with 42 points, two more than second-placed Churchill. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo Real Kashmir finished third with 37 points. 'We won on the pitch, fair and square, but many could not accept that,' said club president Prithijit Das. 'Our club is barely two years old, which played the I-League with heart and grit. Maybe because we weren't part of the old order, false cases were filed, our integrity questioned, our name dragged. We didn't give up. We went all the way to CAS, fought steadily, and won.' Significantly, this was the second win for Kashi at CAS in as many months after the Swiss body had previously overturned the appeals committee decision of taking away three points that were awarded by the disciplinary committee as Namdhari fielded an ineligible player (Cledson da Silva) 'This win is not just ours. It's a reminder of what sport should stand for; passion, fairness, and honesty, not politics,' said Das. AIFF was quick to readjust the league points table and officially declare Kashi as the new champions. 'CAS has ruled that the AIFF shall declare Inter Kashi as winners of the I-League 2024-25. The AIFF congratulates Inter Kashi on being adjudged champions,' AIFF said in a statement. With the CAS order and AIFF's statement, the I-League title race has now finally concluded, more than three months after the teams had played the last round of matches. On the final day, Churchill had their chances to settle the race on the ground itself but only ended up drawing 1-1 against Real Kashmir in Srinagar. Kashi, who were almost out of the race, turned the standings on its head after scoring twice in four stoppage-time minutes for a 3-1 win against Rajasthan United. The players celebrated at their home ground, believing they had come from behind not just for a win but also a memorable triumph. 'It was a very difficult time for everyone at the club but in the end, victory is ours. We have won not just the I-League title, but our name and respect as well,' said Das. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Indian Super League: Caught in offside trap, waiting for SC to resume play
A major decision has rocked Indian football. The 14-team Indian Super League (ISL) has been put on hold for the 2025-26 season due to uncertainty surrounding the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between the league's organisers, the Football Sports Development Ltd (FSDL) and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the clubs. Last month, FSDL, a joint venture between Reliance and Star, which runs the league and are commercial partners of AIFF, met club owners and told them that the league will not kick off unless there is clarity over the 15-year MRA that ends on December 8 this year. Now, those words have been put on record, setting the proverbial cat among the pigeons. The Supreme Court is set to hear the matter on the AIFF's Constitution on July 18. Former general secretary of the AIFF Kushal Das says the situation is critical and unprecedented. 'If you read the FSDL letter carefully, it states that unless there is clarity on the way forward, including renewal of the MRA, the ISL is kept on hold. Now if you look at the timelines, the SC will first have to approve the new Constitution and then may even order elections since they have orally mentioned that this was an interim committee. Assuming the Constitution is approved by August, elections might not happen before December and then the new Committee will decide on the renewal. So I can't see how ISL can happen this season. The AIFF could have foreseen this and requested the SC to allow ISL for this season even if it went beyond the contract,' he said. According to sources, the matter stems from disagreement around the structure of the ISL, which the two parties haven't been able to reach a consensus on. 'There were meetings in February and March. The AIFF got back on April 21 and the FSDL reverted on April 24. Both sides can expedite the matters. This won't be a straightforward negotiation. Both the parties are looking at the right way to go forward commercially and competitively. Overhaul of the structure is needed,' the aforementioned people said. FSDL has reportedly proposed a new holding company to govern, operate, commercialise and fund the ISL, with ownership split between clubs (60 per cent), FSDL (26 per cent) and AIFF (14 per cent). AIFF, however, proposed an all-cash deal of ₹50 crore annually with a 5 per cent yearly hike, which FSDL rejected. Business Standard reached out to AIFF but queries didn't elicit responses till press time. Suspension or putting on hold a top-tier football league isn't common, especially over contractual reasons. The English and French premiere leagues were suspended from 1939-1946 because of the World War. In India, the Calcutta Football League, the oldest football league in Asia and one of the oldest in the world, was suspended in 1930 because of the Salt Satyagraha. In recent times, competitions were put on hold because of the pandemic. A number of former players have said that this hasn't happened out of the blue and the way football was being run in the country saw its culmination in this incident. Former India player Bhaichung Bhutia told Business Standard that it started with FIFA's suspension of the AIFF in 2022. 'The government wanted to host the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup to get the ban lifted. Because of the rush, a temporary body was elected. The Constitution wasn't made for a long time and the election should have been held after the world cup. But it wasn't and it all boils down to bad timing,' he said. The development also brings to light the turbulent relationship corporations have with sports. While some companies across the globe have been at the forefront of investing in the sports, mainly as CSR, others have been accused of using these investments as means to sportswashing, a practice of using sports to improve the reputation of a country, organisation, or individual. 'This is unavoidable and is happening in every sport across the world. Look at cricket in this country. Many federations have marketing partners. AFC has a marketing partner. FIFA used to have a marketing partner but now they do it in-house. But can AIFF do it in-house? I don't think so. So the question is to clearly define the roles of the marketing partner and the federation. Now that clearly depends on the commercial value of the property and is a matter of negotiations. BCCI could do it in house as could FIFA on their terms because they have highly valuable sporting properties,' says Das. 'Corporations are important to help the sport grow. But no matter who comes in, the priority should always be upliftment of the sport. Taking the country's football forward should be the ultimate goal,' says Bhutia. Timeline of Indian football's administrative woes 1996: The AIFF launches country's first national league, the 12-team National Football League (NFL) 2006: AIFF signs 10-year agreement with Zee Sports to help popularize the game 2007: I-League launched with a more traditional approach, with teams playing home and away matches 2010: AIFF terminates contract with Zee due to differences 2011: Signs 15-year agreement worth ₹700 cr with Reliance and International Management Group (IMG) 2013: With Reliance's backing, AIFF launches Indian Super League (ISL) in October 2016: Indian Womens League launched with six teams 2017: India hosts FIFA Under-17 World Cup but fails to qualify beyond group stage 2019: ISL granted premiere league status in India with I-League being relegated as second rung competition 2022: India hosts FIFA Women's Under-17 World Cup but fails to qualify beyond group stage again 2024: Indian men's football team ended the year winless after playing 11 matches


NDTV
2 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
After Stepping Down As India Head Coach, Manolo Marquez To Helm FC Goa In Coming Season
After stepping down as Indian men's football team head coach earlier this month, Spaniard Manolo Marquez on Friday re-joined FC Goa to helm the club for the 2025-26 season. FC Goa announced that Marquez has signed to continue as the head coach for the upcoming season, his third at the club. "No one forgets the Don and the Don never forgets home. Welcome Back Boss," FC Goa posted on their social media handle. "I was very happy during the previous two seasons, where the team showed consistent improvement each year. The level of organisation that the club operates with is not commonly observed in Indian club football, making FC Goa a very special club," Marquez said of his return in a club statement. "It was clear for me that if I were to continue in India, it had to be with FC Goa," he added. The Indian Super League, the country's top-tier competition is, however, on "hold" due to the uncertainty over the issue of the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement -- to expire on December 8 -- between the AIFF and the organisers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). Marquez resigned from his national role on July 2 after reaching a "mutual agreement" with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which was under pressure to fix accountability for the recent downward spiral of the national team. The 56-year-old was appointed as India head coach in June 2024 for a two-year tenure. He worked in a dual role last year, also guiding FC Goa in the 2024-25 ISL season. India lost 0-1 to lower-ranked Hong Kong in an away match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on June 10, which left the country in danger of missing out on qualifying for the continental showpiece in 2027. India logged just one win from their last eight matches under Marquez's tutelage, the lone victory coming against Maldives in March. Marquez was initially signed for FC Goa in 2023 on a two-year deal, and since has become the longest serving head coach of the Gaurs, with a campaign spanning 62 matches across all competitions. He will begin his third season at FC Goa with a desire to maintain a successful record, not only taking the club further in Indian football, but Asian football as well, thanks to the win in the Kalinga Super Sup last season. To begin with, he will be leading the club in the preliminary stage of the AFC Champions League 2, against Omani Professional League team, Al-Seeb Club, where FC Goa will play host at Fatorda on August 13. "Some stories did not mean to this is unfinished business. I am coming home to finish what we started," the Spaniard said. "It is obviously not a usual pre-season for us. Generally, you get about six to eight weeks of training before you arrive at the first ISL game in good conditions, having played multiple domestic competitions already," Marquez said. "We are in a special situation, but a great one for us at the club where we also have the AFC match to look forward to. It will be a difficult game against Al-Seeb, but we are, of course, ready to play against them and the target will be to be there with our best foot forward." On Marquez's re-joining of FC Goa, club CEO Ravi Puskur said, "When the opportunity arose to bring Manolo back, it was one of the most straightforward decisions we've had to make at the club. Over the past two seasons, he has not only delivered results but done so with a clear identity and a deep commitment to improving the group as a whole." This year, joining Marquez in his coaching staff are two new members -- Spaniards Marc Gamon as goalkeeping coach, and David Ramos as the Strength & Conditioning coach -- following the departure of Asier Ray Santin and Jose Carlos Barroso. Gamon finished a two-year stint with Belgian club KMSK Deinze and reunited with Marquez last year. For the 2024-25 season, Gamon was Marquez's goalkeeping coach for the Blue Tigers. They worked together again after coaching Hyderabad FC in the 2020-21 season. Ramos, new to Indian football, comes with the experience of coaching clubs in Spain and China. The rest of his coaching staff, including assistant coaches Benito Montalvo and Gouramangi Singh Moirangthem, continue their roles at the club.
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
2 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
Manolo Marquez to continue with FC Goa after stepping down as India coach
FC Goa announced that Marquez has signed to continue as the head coach for the upcoming season, his third at the club. Press Trust of India New Delhi After stepping down as Indian men's football team head coach earlier this month, Spaniard Manolo Marquez on Friday re-joined FC Goa to helm the club for the 2025-26 season. FC Goa announced that Marquez has signed to continue as the head coach for the upcoming season, his third at the club. "No one forgets the Don and the Don never forgets home. Welcome Back Boss," FC Goa posted on their social media handle. I was very happy during the previous two seasons, where the team showed consistent improvement each year. The level of organisation that the club operates with is not commonly observed in Indian club football, making FC Goa a very special club, Marquez said of his return in a club statement. It was clear for me that if I were to continue in India, it had to be with FC Goa, he added. The Indian Super League, the country's top-tier competition is, however, on "hold" due to the uncertainty over the issue of the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement -- to expire on December 8 -- between the AIFF and the organisers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). Marquez resigned from his national role on July 2 after reaching a "mutual agreement" with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which was under pressure to fix accountability for the recent downward spiral of the national team. The 56-year-old was appointed as India head coach in June 2024 for a two-year tenure. He worked in a dual role last year, also guiding FC Goa in the 2024-25 ISL season. India lost 0-1 to lower-ranked Hong Kong in an away match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on June 10, which left the country in danger of missing out on qualifying for the continental showpiece in 2027. India logged just one win from their last eight matches under Marquez's tutelage, the lone victory coming against Maldives in March. Marquez was initially signed for FC Goa in 2023 on a two-year deal, and since has become the longest serving head coach of the Gaurs, with a campaign spanning 62 matches across all competitions. He will begin his third season at FC Goa with a desire to maintain a successful record, not only taking the club further in Indian football, but Asian football as well, thanks to the win in the Kalinga Super Sup last season. To begin with, he will be leading the club in the preliminary stage of the AFC Champions League 2, against Omani Professional League team, Al-Seeb Club, where FC Goa will play host at Fatorda on August 13. "Some stories did not mean to this is unfinished business. I am coming home to finish what we started," the Spaniard said. It is obviously not a usual pre-season for us. Generally, you get about six to eight weeks of training before you arrive at the first ISL game in good conditions, having played multiple domestic competitions already," Marquez said. "We are in a special situation, but a great one for us at the club where we also have the AFC match to look forward to. It will be a difficult game against Al-Seeb, but we are, of course, ready to play against them and the target will be to be there with our best foot forward. On Marquez's re-joining of FC Goa, club CEO Ravi Puskur said, When the opportunity arose to bring Manolo back, it was one of the most straightforward decisions we've had to make at the club. Over the past two seasons, he has not only delivered results but done so with a clear identity and a deep commitment to improving the group as a whole. This year, joining Marquez in his coaching staff are two new members -- Spaniards Marc Gamon as goalkeeping coach, and David Ramos as the Strength & Conditioning coach -- following the departure of Asier Ray Santin and Jose Carlos Barroso. Gamon finished a two-year stint with Belgian club KMSK Deinze and reunited with Marquez last year. For the 2024-25 season, Gamon was Marquez's goalkeeping coach for the Blue Tigers. They worked together again after coaching Hyderabad FC in the 2020-21 season. Ramos, new to Indian football, comes with the experience of coaching clubs in Spain and China. The rest of his coaching staff, including assistant coaches Benito Montalvo and Gouramangi Singh Moirangthem, continue their roles at the club.


Indian Express
2 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Former India coach Manolo Marquez returns to FC Goa for 2025/26 season
Former India football team coach Manolo Marquez rejoined Indian Super League side FC Goa and will be at the helm for the 2025-26 season, the club announced on Friday. FC Goa announced that Marquez has signed to continue as the head coach for the upcoming season, his third at the club. 'No one forgets the Don and the Don never forgets home. Welcome Back Boss,' FC Goa posted on their social media handle. Marquez resigned from his national role on July 2 after reaching a 'mutual agreement' with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) earlier this month after a disastrous stint as the Blue Tigers' coach. Under him, the Indian team had just one win from their last 8 matches with the victory coming against Maldives back in March. In 2025, they have played 4, lost 2, won 1 and drawn 1. The results were so poor that India had to bring back their iconic striker Sunil Chhetri from his 2024 retirement but that has done little to change their fortunes. Don Márquez is back! 💪 Our Spanish tactician has renewed his contract with the club for the 2025–26 season. There's unfinished business and we're ready to take it on! 🦬 Read the full story on our website: — FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) July 18, 2025 This led to the team recording their worst ranking in 9 years when they dropped to 133 in the latest FIFA rankings. The 56-year-old was appointed as India head coach in June 2024 for a two-year tenure. He worked in a dual role last year, also guiding FC Goa in the 2024-25 ISL season. 'I was very happy during the previous two seasons, where the team showed consistent improvement each year. The level of organisation that the club operates with is not commonly observed in Indian club football, making FC Goa a very special club. It was clear for me that if I were to continue in India, it had to be with FC Goa,' Marquez said. The Spaniard had signed for goa back in 2023 and has since become the longest serving head coach of the Gaurs, with a campaign spanning 62 matches across all competitions. Meanwhile, The ISL is currently on 'hold' due to the uncertainty over the issue of the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement — to expire on December 8 — between the AIFF and the organisers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL).