Churchill Bros left out of second-tier IFL

Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has released fixtures for the second-tier Indian Football League – previously called I-League – without Churchill Brothers FC, who are fighting for a place in the top tier.

Churchill were crowned I-League champions by the AIFF at the end of the league stage but the title was snatched away after the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Inter Kashi FC should be declared champions, after winning two appeals. They were subsequently promoted to the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL).


Churchill have been fighting for their inclusion in ISL, which kicked off on Saturday. The two-time I-League champions have previously told the federation they are firm on playing in the top-flight and threatened to shut down the club if their request is not accepted.

The AIFF has now announced fixtures for the IFL with just 10 teams. The season will commence on Feb 27 with two matches scheduled on the opening day. Namdhari FC will take on Aizawl FC, while Chanmari FC take on Gokulam Kerala FC on the first day of action.

“Churchill Brothers have been notified and we are currently awaiting their response and the submission of the entry fee. The deadline for Churchill Bros is Feb 14. If no response/payment is received by Sunday, we will move forward and publish the finalised fixtures on Feb 15,” AIFF had earlier told the I-League clubs.

Churchill did not respond to the AIFF’s notification.

Churchill’s absence means Dempo SC is the only Goan side in the IFL. The five-time champions open their campaign against RKFC on March 1.

“As per the proposal by the clubs, the IFL 2025-26 season will feature a two-stage format. Stage 1 will see the 10 participating clubs compete in a single-leg home-and-away round-robin format,” the AIFF announced on Saturday.

In Stage 2, the teams get divided into two groups. Those that finished in the top half in Stage 1 will advance to a home-and-away championship round, while the bottom half will compete in a centralised relegation round. All points from the initial stage will carry forward to preserve the competitive context of the league.

The league toppers at the end of Stage 2 will be crowned the Indian Football League champions and will be promoted to the Indian Super League 2026-27.


First Round Fixtures

Feb 27: Namdhari vs Aizawl
Feb 27: Chanmari vs Gokulam Kerala
Feb 28: Diamond Harbour vs Sreenidi Deccan
March 1: Shillong Lajong vs Rajasthan United
March 1: Dempo SC vs RKFC