Inter Kashi FC have been officially crowned the 2024–25 I-League champions after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) earlier decision that had awarded the title to Churchill Brothers. The decision came following Inter Kashi's successful appeal to CAS, which ruled in their favour and instructed the AIFF to immediately declare them champions.
The controversy began when Inter Kashi, originally placed second on the table, were penalised over allegations of fielding an ineligible player, leading to a points deduction that pushed them behind Churchill. The AIFF's Appeal Committee subsequently ruled in favour of Churchill and declared them champions after the final round of matches concluded in April. However, Kashi went on to challenge the ruling at CAS.
“The AIFF shall forthwith declare Inter Kashi FC as winner of the I-League 2024–25 season. The appeal filed on 4 June 2025 by Inter Kashi FC against the decision issued on 31 May 2025 by the Appeal Committee of the All-India Football Federation is partially upheld. The decision issued on 31 May 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.
AIFF congratulates Inter Kashi
Apart from allegedly fielding an ineligible player, Kashi were also called out for the registration of Spanish forward Mario Barco. Churchill and Real Kashmir FC registered a complaint about the same. The clubs argued that the Varanasi-based team violated I-League rules by registering a seventh foreign player during the season, exceeding the six-player limit. CAS, however, ruled in favour of Inter Kashi and ordered the AIFF to revise the league standings accordingly.
“The CAS has ruled that the AIFF shall declare Inter Kashi FC as winners of the I-League 2024-25. The AIFF congratulates Inter Kashi FC on being adjudged champions of I-League 2024-25,” the AIFF said in a statement.
“In line with the CAS ruling, Inter Kashi finish the season on 42 points, Churchill Brothers FC Goa on 40, Real Kashmir FC on 37, and Namdhari FC on 29. Consequently, Inter Kashi FC have been declared the winners of I-League 2024-25,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, this marks a historic moment for Inter Kashi, who have clinched the I-League title in only their second season. The club had finished fourth in their debut campaign in 2023–24. With this triumph, Inter Kashi are now eligible for promotion to the Indian Super League (ISL) for the 2025–26 season, although uncertainty looms over the ISL’s structure due to the unresolved renewal of the Master Rights Agreement between AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which expires on December 8.
