Several well-known Indian football clubs, such as Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Kerala Blasters FC, and Odisha FC, had their applications for the Premier 1 Club License for the 2026-27 season turned down by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The AIFF’s Club Licensing Committee, First Instance Body (CLC-FIB), made this decision during a meeting on May 17. The rejected clubs include Sporting Club Delhi, Odisha FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Chennaiyin FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Mohammedan Sporting Club, and Inter Kashi.
The AIFF mentioned that these clubs have the option to challenge the rejection or request an exemption to participate in national competitions as per the regulations. Clubs like NorthEast United FC, East Bengal FC, Jamshedpur FC, Mumbai City FC, Bengaluru FC, FC Goa, and Punjab FC were granted licenses with certain sanctions. Although these clubs passed the licensing process, they still need to address specific criteria or compliance conditions.
The Indian Club Licensing System, a yearly requirement, aims to enhance professionalism, infrastructure, administration, and sporting standards among clubs in India. This framework determines eligibility for involvement in domestic and Asian competitions sanctioned by the AIFF and the Asian Football Confederation. Licenses are categorized as ‘Premier 1’ for Indian Super League clubs and ‘Premier 2’ for clubs in the Indian Football League structure. The evaluation process considers various factors like finance, legal matters, infrastructure, personnel, and youth development.
