FOOTBALL – I-LEAGUE 2024/2025 (INDIA)
THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT (CAS) RULES IN FAVOUR OF INTER KASHI FC AND AMENDS FINAL RANKING
OF THE I-LEAGUE 2024/2025
Lausanne, 18 July 2025 - The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has partially upheld an appeal by Inter Kashi Football Club (Inter Kashi FC) against the All-India Football Federation (AIFF), Churchill Brothers FC Goa, Namdhari FC and Real Kashmir FC. CAS has ruled that the AIFF shall declare Inter Kashi FC as winner of the I-League 2024/2025. After an unsuccessful first procedure initiated by several I-League clubs before the AIFF Disciplinary Committee, the AIFF Appeal Committee decided on 31 May 2025 that the registration of a foreign player (Marco Barco) by Inter Kashi FC was not valid and stated that all matches played by him should be forfeited by the club. This resulted in the adjustment of the I-League points table with Churchill Brothers FC Goa at the top.
Inter Kashi FC filed an appeal on 23 June 2025 and sought to set aside the AIFF Appeal Committee decision. After a CAS hearing held on 15 July 2025, the CAS Panel ruled that the decision issued on 31 May 2025 by the AIFF is set aside and that the AIFF shall adjust the points table of the I-League 2024/2025 season as follows:
Position Team Points 1. Inter Kashi FC 42 2. Churchill Brothers FC 40 3. Real Kashmir FC 37 4. Namdhari FC 29
Consequently, the AIFF shall declare Inter Kashi FC as winner of the I-League 2024/2025.
CAS had already overturned a decision of the AIFF Appeal Committee on 17 June 2025, lifting a sanction imposed on Namdhari FC for the fielding of an ineligible player. CAS upheld the appeal by Inter Kashi FC and confirmed the initial decision of the AIFF Disciplinary Committee to declare the match Namdhari FC – Inter Kashi FC of 13 January 2025 forfeited by Namdhari FC (0-3).
This is an unofficial summary for media use. Unless Parties request confidentiality, a full CAS Award will be published on the jurisprudence website.
For further information related to the CAS activity and procedures in general, please contact either Matthieu Reeb, CAS Director General,
or Vanessa Tracey, Communications Officer. Palais de Beaulieu, av. Bergières 10, 1004 Lausanne, Switzerland.
