Two-time ISL champions Mohun Bagan Super Giants have been banned by the Asian Football Confederation and have been fined a hefty sum for the 2027-28 season, after they refused to travel to Iran, citing
security concerns during the ACL-2 competition.
The decision was taken by the Asian Football Confederation’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee on December 17, after the club refused to travel to Iran for their scheduled group-stage game against Sepahan SC in September.
According to the ruling, Mohun Bagan will be barred from competing in the next two AFC club tournaments they would otherwise have qualified for, keeping them out of continental football until the end of the 2027–28 season.
The committee also imposed a fine of USD 400,729 (Rs 3.62 crore), covering damages and losses claimed by the AFC and Sepahan SC.
For context, the fine exceeds what Mohun Bagan earned for winning the ISL Shield, Rs 3.5 crore, which also helped them bag a spot in Asian competition.
The disciplinary action arose from Mohun Bagan’s failure to fulfil the game against Sepahan, which the AFC treated as a withdrawal from the competition. This led to their disqualification from the ongoing campaign and the imposition of further sanctions.
The club had cited difficulties in bagging visas for multiple foreign footballers, including key forwards Jamie McLaren and Jason Cummings, as the reason for not travelling. However, the AFC held that logistical challenges didn’t justify non-compliance with competition regulations.
In its findings, the committee stated that Mohun Bagan’s absence undermined the integrity of the tournament and resulted in financial losses for both the organisers and the Iranian club.
Of the total fine, USD 50,729 (Rs 45.84 lakh) has been earmarked to cover costs claimed by the affected parties.
The ruling stands as one of the harshest disciplinary actions handed to an Indian club in recent AFC history. AFC officials emphasised that the decision was aimed at protecting the credibility of continental competitions and reinforcing the need to strictly adhere to tournament obligations.
