PANAJI: It’s a title race like no other, and this time, the stakes are higher too. The I-League, Indian football’s second-tier club competition, has seen some thrilling action in the past with teams snatching the title on the concluding day. But this season’s battle has been extraordinary, with four clubs now in contention to win the title and seek qualification to the Indian Super League (ISL). On Sunday, April 6, 2025, six teams will be involved in three matches to be played across the country. Four of them, Churchill Brothers, Inter Kashi, Real Kashmir, and Gokulam Kerala, can win the I-League crown, depending on which way the results go.
So, who are the favorites? The I-League table suggests it’s Churchill, who have everything in their own hands. Should they draw in Kashmir, they will finish on top. A win will be even better for the two-time former champions, since the pending appeal for three points from Inter Kashi will then be out of the equation. But there’s a slight hitch. No visiting team has returned home from Srinagar with a win this season. Real Kashmir have won seven of their ten matches at home, with the other three ending in draws. Across all home games, they have conceded just seven goals, making life difficult for their opponents.
“We are facing a very, very, very, very difficult team,” said Churchill coach Dimitris Dimitriou. “They are a team with the best record in home games. It makes our job harder and more difficult.” Real Kashmir are nursing title ambitions of their own. It’s quite a task: defeat Churchill by at least three goals and hope Gokulam Kerala do not edge past Dempo. The big prize? A ticket to the ISL next season.
WINNING EQUATION:
- Churchill: Get at least a point against Kashmir or lose by two goals and hope Gokulam Kerala drop points against Dempo.
- Gokulam Kerala: Defeat Dempo and hope Real Kashmir edge past Churchill.
- Real Kashmir: Defeat Churchill by at least three goals and hope Gokulam Kerala don’t win against Dempo.
- Inter Kashi: Pending a favorable verdict from the AIFF appeal committee, Inter Kashi must win against Rajasthan and hope Churchill do not win against Kashmir.
The I-League season ended on Sunday, April 6, 2025, with a triple header on the final day of the 2nd-tier Indian football league. Three out of six teams involved on the final day were the title contenders, and in the end, Churchill Brothers finished at the top of the table after the conclusion of the matches.
Gokulam Kerala started the day with 37 points, Churchill started with 39, while Inter Kashi started the final match with 36 points. Gokulam Kerala failed at home against Dempo SC and lost the match 3-4. Inter Kashi were 3-1 winners over Rajasthan United, scoring the winning goals in injury time, while Churchill managed a 1-1 draw in Srinagar against Real Kashmir.
With these results, Churchill finished the season with the most number of points. But despite ending the season with most points, Churchill Brothers are yet to be named as Champions. As the I-League concluded, the Goa-based team has finished provisionally at the top of the table, which has confused a section of the fans unaccustomed to the I-League saga this season.
Churchill Brothers are not yet the I-League champions due to a controversial match which took place on January 13 between Namdhari FC and Inter Kashi. In that questioned match, Namdhari beat Inter Kashi 2-0, but Kashi later complained against Namdhari for fielding ineligible players. They pointed that the accused club played Cledson Carvalho da Silva, popularly known as De, who was supposed to be suspended for receiving four yellow cards in the league prior to the match.
The AIFF Disciplinary Committee saw legitimacy in Inter Kashi's appeal and forfeited the match, docking three points from Namdhari. But on March 27, the Appeals Committee overturned the earlier decision, leading to protests from Inter Kashi, who have already threatened a legal route. Inter Kashi feel they should have been given three points. But as per latest proceedings, the AIFF will be putting the issue up for discussion on April 28, some 22 days from now. That is why the I-League crown is not yet decided and remains on a cliffhanger for now.
If Inter Kashi win their appeal and get three points, they will be the I-League Champions with 42 points. If the decision stays as it is, Churchill Brothers will be crowned the title. But the hotchpotch of Indian football is likely to continue as any decision may be rebutted by the opposing party with a formal legal battle.
The 2024/25 season of the I-League has come to a chaotic ending, with much left in the hands of the AIFF to decide. Before the final matchday, there were four sides up in contention for the title: Churchill Brothers, Inter Kashi, Real Kashmir, and Gokulam Kerala. The results of the final matchday of the I-League season were: Real Kashmir 1-1 Churchill Brothers, Inter Kashi 3-1 Rajasthan FC, and Gokulam Kerala 3-4 Dempo SC.
Churchill Brothers ended up on top of the table with 40 points from 22 games, three points clear of both Real Kashmir and Gokulam Kerala. Inter Kashi stands at 39 points in 21 games, just a mere point below Churchill’s total. Inter Kashi will only stand a chance to be champions should they receive a favorable decision on the pending AIFF Appeal Committee’s hearing about the match against Namdhari FC.
If the AIFF’s ruling on the match goes Inter Kashi’s way, then they will be awarded three points, taking their total to 42 points: overtaking Churchill Brothers for the title and promotion. But, as it all stands, Churchill Brothers are the provisional champions, and will be praying that they secure promotion to the ISL.
The controversy surrounding the I-League title race has captivated fans and left many eager for the upcoming AIFF decision. The implications of this ruling will not only affect the championship title but also the promotion of one team to the prestigious ISL, making the stakes even higher.
