Inter Kashi were declared I-League champions on Friday after the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Appeal Committee's decision of awarding the title to Churchill Brothers of Goa.
The AIFF had announced Churchill Brothers as the I-League champions after its Appeal Committee ruled against Inter Kashi in a matter related to the fielding of an “ineligible player”. The Varanasi club had ended at second spot after points were deducted from their tally. But after an appeal by Inter Kashi, the CAS asked the AIFF to reverse its decision of awarding the 2024-25 season title to Churchill.
“The AIFF shall forthwith declare Inter Kashi FC as winner of the I-league 2024-25 season,” the Lausanne-based CAS said in its order. “The appeal filed on June 4, 2025 by Inter Kashi FC against the decision issued on May 31, 2025 by the Appeal Committee of the All-India Football Federation is partially upheld. The decision issued on May 31, 2025 by the Appeal Committee of the All India Football Federation is set aside,” said the CAS award handed by sole arbitrator Frans de Weger of the Netherlands.
This is the second appeal that Inter Kashi has won against the AIFF Appeals Committee’s decision. It had secured a favourable verdict last month as well. Inter Kashi have thus won the I-League title in the second season where it had featured in the second tier club competition of the country. They had finished fourth in their maiden I-League season in 2023-24.
Under the rules, Inter Kashi will be promoted to the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL) in 2025-26 season, though the event is on “hold” due to the uncertainty over the issue of the renewal of Master Rights Agreement, which will expire on December 8, between the AIFF and the organisers Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). The I-League champions of 2022-23 and 2023-24, Punjab FC and Mohammedan Sporting, respectively, were promoted to the ISL.
The CAS also asked the AIFF to amend the points table of the I-League 2024-25 to reflect Inter Kashi's top position. Accordingly, Inter Kashi FC will get 42 points, Churchill Brothers will secure 40 points for the second position, while Real Kashmir would be third with 37 points. Earlier, Churchill were on top with 40 points, followed by Inter Kashi (39) and Real Kashmir (37).
The AIFF will also have to pay 55 per cent of the cost of arbitration, amounting to 3,000 Swiss francs (Rs 3,22,275) to Inter Kashi, while the other parties to the case, Churchill, Namdhari FC and Real Kashmir, will have to shell out 15 per cent each (Swiss francs 1,000 or Rs 1,07,413).
“The costs of the arbitration, to be served to the parties by the CAS Court Office separately, will be borne 55 per cent by the AIFF, 15 per cent by Churchill Brothers FC Goa, 15 per cent by Namdhari FC and 15 per cent by Real Kashmir FC.
The second appeal, which was decided by the CAS on Friday, related to AIFF Appeals Committee ruling in favour of Churchill Brothers and Real Kashmir in two other cases relating to their respective matches against Inter Kashi over re-registration of player Mario Barco by the Varanasi-based club. These clubs had alleged that Inter Kashi violated I-League regulations by registering a “seventh foreign player” during the 2024–25 season, while only six were allowed. Churchill Brothers had finished provisionally on top of the table with 40 points after the final round on April 6. But their title was subject to the outcome of Inter Kashi's disputed points from their January 13 match against Namdhari SC, which Namdhari had won 2-0.
The AIFF Disciplinary Committee had awarded a 3-0 forfeit win and three points to Inter Kashi after ruling that Namdhari fielded an 'ineligible player'. However, the AIFF Appeals Committee later ruled in favour of Churchill. On the basis of its Appeal Committee ruling, the AIFF had declared Churchill Brothers as I-League champions and handed the winners’ trophy to the Goan club.
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