Indian football’s continental aspirations have taken a major blow this week following the withdrawal of Mohun Bagan Super Giant and a second consecutive loss for FC Goa in the AFC Champions League Two. While India’s current AFC slot allocation for the 2026-27 season remains secure, the poor performance and non-participation are severely eroding the country’s ranking points, placing its future berths in Asia’s second-tier competition under significant pressure.
Mohun Bagan Withdrawn Over Safety Concerns
MBSG were officially declared as having withdrawn from the ACL Two after the club refused to travel to Iran for their Group C fixture against Sepahan SC, citing player and staff security concerns. The AFC confirmed the withdrawal, deeming the club’s only group match played—a 0-1 loss at home to Ahal FC—as null and void. The matter has been referred to the relevant AFC committees, and Mohun Bagan now faces potential sanctions, including heavy fines and a multi-season ban from continental competitions, further compounding the national club coefficient crisis.
FC Goa Facing Uphill Battle
India’s only remaining representative in the competition, FC Goa, is also struggling to gather crucial ranking points. The Gaurs, who qualified for the Group Stage after a playoff win, suffered their second straight defeat, losing 0-2 to FC Istiklol of Tajikistan on Wednesday. This follows their opening home loss to Iraq’s Al Zawraa SC.
With one club already withdrawn and the second failing to register a point in two games, the 2025-26 season is proving disastrous for India’s crucial club coefficient.
Future Slot Allocation Hangs in the Balance
The latest results are a major concern for the All India Football Federation (AIFF), as AFC slot allocation is determined by an eight-year rolling club competitions ranking.
* Current Status: India currently holds two slots in the AFC Champions League Two (one direct group stage spot and one play-off spot).
* The Threat: With points from the Mohun Bagan match erased and FC Goa failing to score points, India’s overall ranking will drop significantly. The poor coefficient score for this season will heavily impact the slot allocation for the 2027-28 season.
The onus is now entirely on FC Goa to salvage a campaign that has quickly spiralled into a national concern, starting with their next challenging fixture against Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al-Nassr on October 22.
