I-League Trophy Scandal Explained | Inter Kashi Churchill Brothers Legal Battle

The I-League trophy became the most talked‑about piece of silverware in Indian football when the 2024‑25 season ended not with cheers but with court rulings and contested celebrations. In July 2025, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Inter Kashi – a club formed only in 2023 – were the rightful champions.

However, earlier in the year, the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) Appeals Committee had declared Churchill Brothers champions after penalising Inter Kashi for allegedly fielding an ineligible player. The clash of decisions led to a dramatic legal battle, and even after CAS confirmed Inter Kashi’s victory, Churchill Brothers refused to return the I-League trophy, forcing the federation to hand over a replica.

This article unpacks what happened, traces the legal timeline, explains why a replica trophy was needed and how the scandal echoes the Asia Cup trophy fiasco. We also explore what the I-League trophy means for Indian football, highlight the 2024‑25 season’s dramatic finish and list past champions.

By the end, you’ll see why this saga matters to fans and what it says about the future of the game.

What Is I-League and Its Importance in Indian Football?

The I-League trophy, formally called the Hero I‑League for sponsorship, is India’s national football league, and currently forms the second tier of the country’s league system. Launched in 2007 as the successor to the National Football League, it features promotion and relegation and aims to widen the sport beyond big‑city franchises.

According to the AIFF’s roadmap, winners of the I-League are promoted to the Indian Super League (ISL) provided they meet licensing criteria. A 2022 decision by the AIFF and the Asian Football Confederation confirmed that I-League winners would move up without paying participation fees, provided they satisfied infrastructure, sporting and financial requirements.

SUGGESTED READ: AIFF Confirms 2-Phase Indian Women’s League

Promotion offers clubs from smaller cities the chance to play at India’s highest level; Punjab FC (2022‑23) and Mohammedan SC (2023‑24) have used this pathway. Inter Kashi’s triumph, though contested, means the club could join the ISL if it meets the criteria, adding a team from the historic city of Varanasi to top‑tier football.

Historically the I-League served as India’s premier competition until the Indian Super League gained top‑tier status in 2022. The league is crucial even after being demoted.

It has more matches that offer domestic players, regional rivalries and give non-corporate hub clubs a professional platform. Its promotion‑relegation structure also introduces stakes absent in the closed ISL.

Without the I-League trophy, players like Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua and Jackichand Singh might never have been spotted. For fans in Goa, Kerala, Kashmir and the North‑East, the I-League in India is not just a feeder competition but a cultural touchstone.

What Happened? How the I-League Trophy Controversy Unfolded

The controversy began during the I-League 2024 25 season when Inter Kashi faced Namdhari FC on 13 January 2025. Namdhari won 2‑0, but Inter Kashi protested that Namdhari’s Brazilian forward Cledson Carvalho da Silva had accumulated four yellow cards and should have been suspended.

The AIFF Disciplinary Committee agreed, ruling that Namdhari had fielded an ineligible player and awarded the match 3‑0 to Inter Kashi. Those three points lifted Inter Kashi above Churchill Brothers in the table.

Namdhari appealed, claiming the AIFF’s club‑management portal did not show the suspension. On 28 March 2025, the Appeals Committee set the Disciplinary Committee’s decision aside and kept it “inoperative and in abeyance” until a full hearing.

That decision restored Namdhari’s points and put Churchill Brothers back atop the league. As the legal wrangling continued, Churchill Brothers finished the season on 40 points, one ahead of Inter Kashi.

The AIFF, citing Rule 14.4 of the I‑League regulations, provisionally awarded them the I-League trophy. Inter Kashi, feeling aggrieved, filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

CAS examined the case, and on 17 June 2025, upheld Inter Kashi’s appeal, agreeing with the Disciplinary Committee that Namdhari had fielded an ineligible player. The CAS decision, reported by the AIFF, reinstated the 3‑0 result and ordered that Inter Kashi be considered winners.

Churchill Brothers, however, refused to accept the ruling and continued to lobby for their status as provisional champions.

The drama became even more intense as on 18 July 2025, CAS handed out a second verdict saying that the AIFF should forthwith state Inter Kashi FC the winner of the I-League 2024 25. CAS concluded that Inter Kashi had done nothing wrong in re‑registering Spanish striker Mario Barco, who had been injured mid‑season.

With CAS ordering the AIFF to restore Inter Kashi’s points, Churchill Brothers were no longer I-League champions​. The AIFF publicly congratulated Inter Kashi, but the Goan club refused to return the I-League trophy, claiming the matter was still before the Swiss Federal Tribunal.

For months, Indian football’s most coveted silverware sat in Goa while the rightful champions had nothing to lift.

Inter Kashi vs Churchill Brothers: Timeline of the Legal Battle

The fight between Inter Kashi and Churchill Brothers lasted for nine tough months. To understand the size of the fight, it is useful to look at the timeline in order:

• 13 January 2025 – Inter Kashi lost 0–2 to Namdhari FC but claimed Namdhari fielded a suspended player, Cledson Carvalho da Silva. Protest filed; match result placed under review.
• 24 February 2025 – AIFF Disciplinary Committee upheld Inter Kashi’s protest, awarding a 3–0 forfeit win and three points. Inter Kashi jumped to the top of the table.
• 28 March 2025 – Appeals Committee suspended the earlier verdict, restoring Namdhari’s points. Churchill Brothers became provisional league leaders with 38 points.
• April 2025 – Churchill Brothers alleged to AIFF that the Super Cup draw had irregularities where Inter Kashi were disadvantaged as they were seeded higher. Six clubs alleged that Inter Kashi was enjoying erroneous officiating decisions. There was growing hostility in the atmosphere surrounding the I-League trophy.
• 17 June 2025 – Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled Namdhari fielded an ineligible player, upholding the 3–0 decision (AIFF). Inter Kashi’s appeal succeeded; CAS ordered AIFF to reinstate the original verdict.
• 18 July 2025 – CAS directed AIFF to “forthwith declare Inter Kashi FC as winner of the I-League 2024 25”. Inter Kashi officially became champions; Churchill’s appeal remained pending.
• August – October 2025 – Churchill Brothers refused to return the I-League trophy and challenged the CAS verdict in Swiss and Delhi courts. The original trophy remained in Goa.
• 1 November 2025 – AIFF presented a replica I-League trophy to Inter Kashi after their Super Cup match, stating Churchill still held the original. Inter Kashi finally lifted a trophy — though not the original.

🗞️Churchill brothers official letter to AIFF

– ‘CAS email does not specify that CBFC should return the trophy’🤦🏻🤦🏻‍♀️

So in short Churchill brothers is not gonna return the trophy despite finishing 2nd in the league

This is coming from a professional club 🤦🏻 pic.twitter.com/tuzJmpGw60

— Inter Kashi Xtra (@IkfcXtra) November 1, 2025

This chronology is more of a roller-coaster as administrative rulings, legal reviews and international arbitration determined the fate of the I-League trophy. The play was also an indication of more underlying conflicts between the clubs and the national federation as they were accused of inconsistent officiating and inconsistent procedures.

Replica Trophy and the Wider Trophy Scandal

When the AIFF gave a copy of the I-League trophy to Inter Kashi at the GMC Athletic Stadium on 1 November 2025, fans cheered but also felt let down. The federation explained that it had no option: Churchill Brothers kept the original trophy even after many asked to give it back.

“THIS IS OUR LEGACY”

INTER CASHI 🟠⚫

WE WON ON THE PITCH AND IN THE COURT TOO 😏 !!

{Champions,Inter Kashi,Bhairavas, Indian Football,Uttar Pradesh} pic.twitter.com/aGzGell36P

— The Bhairavas : Ultras Inter Kashi (@Bhairavas_IKFC) November 1, 2025

The owner of the Goan club, Churchill Alemao, said the presentation was “disrespectful” and mentioned that the issue is still in court. Churchill said that CAS never clearly told them to give back the trophy and promised to fight the decision at Switzerland’s Federal Tribunal.

AIFF HAND OVER INTER KASHI A REPLICA OF I-LEAGUE TROPHY! 🏆 #90ndstoppage

REFUSAL FROM CHURCHILL BROTHERS FC GOA TO RETURN THE ORIGINAL TROPHY TO CHAMPIONS FORCED AIFF TO ORDER A REPLICA. 👀 pic.twitter.com/u8p6OoZAbk

— 90ndstoppage (@90ndstoppage) November 1, 2025

At the same time, the players of Inter Kashi, who had paid over ₹3.5 crore for legal costs and travel, finally had their chance – with a copy. But it was a replica of the original, a gleaming silver cup, with ornate handles, though deprived of the tale of the original.

This standoff reminded the fact that there is another giant trophy issue: the 2025 Asia Cup cricket final. In September 2025, India won against Pakistan in the Asia Cup cricket final but did not take the trophy because it was going to be given by Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Video showed officials taking the trophy away, while Indian players celebrated without it.  The BCCI said the team would not get the trophy from Naqvi but hoped to get it later.

The I-League trophy issue and the Asia Cup problem showed how politics and laws can stop athletes from enjoying their hard-earned wins. The two scandals share striking similarities:

• Timing and Symbolism Both were in 2025, and both involved teams who had technically won their competitions but were unable to hold the official trophy. The irony of both cases is that the champions are introduced with fake cups.
• Legal and Political Overtones: Churchill Brothers claimed legal justification for retaining the I-League trophy. The Indian cricket team refused the Asia Cup trophy for political reasons.
• Replica/None: Inter Kashi finally got a replica, and the Indian cricket team had to wait weeks to get the Asia Cup.

These similarities demonstrate how trophies, which are supposed to be mere symbols of victory, can be chess pieces in greater conflicts. Watching players hold imaginary cups as a journalist is watching actors practicing a scene that never appears to be played as an actual play but they have the passion but no prop.

Who Were the Champions of the I-League 2024 25? Season Highlights and Final Day Controversy

The 2024‑25 season promised one of the most gripping finishes in Indian football. With two matches remaining, Churchill Brothers sat on 38 points, Inter Kashi and Real Kashmir on 35, and Gokulam Kerala on 34.

Churchill had beaten Inter Kashi 3‑1 earlier in the season and held a head‑to‑head advantage. On the next penultimate weekend, Inter Kashi overtook Real Kashmir and Churchill drew, bringing the difference down to a single point.

However, the central question remained whether the three points from the Namdhari match would ultimately count. The final day saw Churchill hosting Real Kashmir and Inter Kashi travelling to Raia.

Both matches were cagey, and Churchill’s draw appeared sufficient to clinch the provisional title. Yet the CAS hearing looming in June meant the I-League champions​ were still unknown.

In April, Churchill withdrew from the Super Cup in protest, arguing that the AIFF had not awarded them the I-League winner 2025 trophy despite Rule 14.4 requiring champions to be declared immediately. They also complained that the Super Cup seeding incorrectly placed Inter Kashi as a higher seed.

At the same time, six clubs – Real Kashmir, Delhi FC, Sreenidi Deccan, Namdhari and Aizawl – wrote to the AIFF alleging that refereeing mistakes consistently favoured Inter Kashi. The tension meant that when CAS finally ruled for Inter Kashi in July, emotions were raw.

The CAS verdict affirmed that Inter Kashi were champions and so they became the first club in Uttar Pradesh to win the I-League trophy. It also demonstrated the unstable state of the Indian football management: the rulings would happen to be reversed several months after the games had been competed and a fan would not be sure who would be the champion.

Nonetheless, for now, Inter Kashi are recorded as I-League champions for 2025 – a victory celebrated by their fans in Varanasi and by neutrals who relish underdog stories.

I-League Winners and Champions Over the Years

The history of Indian football has had many different I-League winners. The contest has made many winners and has given fans all over the country reasons to cheer.

Here is a simple table of winners since the league started, based on information from Transfermarkt. It is also reflected on the list of the strength of such teams as Dempo, Churchill Brothers, and Bengaluru FC in their initial seasons, and the emergence of new teams such as Gokulam Kerala and Mohammedan SC in the recent past.

Even though there may be debates about the title of the 2024-25 book of Inter Kashi, it adds a new name to the list of winners.

The table shows how the I-League trophy helped different clubs, from big companies to local teams, to find success. Inter Kashi joining shows that the league is still fair and balanced, even with the ISL coming in.

Amit Mishra’s Perspective: What This Means for Indian Football

Being a football journalist who has reported the ups and downs of Indian football over the past five years, the saga of the I-League trophy is a thrilling and frightening experience. On the one hand, it emphasizes the rivalry of the I-League final and the enthusiasm of fans in Goa and Varanasi.

Watching underdogs Inter Kashi rise from a start‑up club to champions by fighting in boardrooms and on the pitch offers the kind of narrative that makes sport compelling. It also highlights the growing professionalism of Indian clubs – they employed foreign lawyers, learned about regulations and approached CAS proving that the stakeholders of Indian football now interact with international legal frameworks.

On the other hand, the scandal exposes systemic weaknesses. First, administrative inconsistency allowed the same match to be decided and re‑decided by different committees. Second, Churchill Brothers’ refusal to return the trophy shows that enforcement mechanisms are weak.

Third, the entire episode took nearly a year to resolve, leaving players, coaches and fans in limbo. To develop Indian football, the AIFF needs to improve transparency, maintain timelines and disciplinary and appeals committees should comply well with timelines and deliver CAS decisions within short durations.

This story also connects with bigger changes.The AIFF’s plan says that I-League champions must follow strict rules to join the ISL. Inter Kashi needs to improve their stadium and money to be in the top group.

Right now, the ISL and I-League trophy are both still going on at the same time, which makes people wonder if they can keep going. The scandal could accelerate the demands of one league and promotion and relegation of all levels which would provide a clear structure of Indian football.

In the end, as seen in the Asia Cup trophy argument, sports in South Asia are connected with politics and law. The I-League trophy issue shows that it’s better for football to pick winners on the field, not in court.

As fans, we want to see players lift the cup high, with confetti falling like rain. Let’s wish that future winners hold a real trophy, not a fake one.

YOU MIGHT READ: Mohun Bagan Sacks MBSG Head Coach Jose Molina

FAQs

• Who won the I-League 2024 25?
  The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on 18 July 2025 that Inter Kashi were the champions of the 2024‑25 I‑League. The AIFF later handed them a replica I-League trophy because Churchill Brothers refused to return the original.
• What is the I‑League and how does it differ from the ISL?
  The I-League is India’s national football league with promotion and relegation. It currently operates as the second tier under the Indian Super League (ISL). Winners of the I-League in India are promoted to the ISL if they meet club‑licensing criteria. Unlike the ISL, which is a closed franchise league, the I‑League allows teams from across the country to rise through the pyramid.
• Why was there an I-League trophy controversy?
  This caused a disagreement in the disciplinary and appeals committees of AIFF over a disputed match between Inter Kashi and Namdhari FC. Churchill Brothers was provisionally made champions by the Appeals Committee, which was however overturned by CAS, which also pointed out Inter Kashi as the winners. Churchill Brothers refused to return the I-League trophy, leading the AIFF to present a replica.
• What happened in the Asia Cup trophy scandal?
  In the 2025 cricket Asia Cup final, India lost to Pakistan but refused to receive the trophy since it was to be presented by the interior minister of Pakistan Mohsin Naqvi. Officials removed the trophy from the stage, leaving players celebrating without it. The episode drew comparisons with the I-League trophy saga.
• Who are the most successful clubs in I‑League history?
  Dempo SC are champions of the I-League trophy with three titles in the history of the game. The league has been won twice by Churchill Brothers, Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru FC and Gokulam Kerala. The most recent triumphs are Mohammedan SC (2023/24), Gokulam Kerala (2021/22) and Inter Kashi (2024/25).