Mohun Bagan Super Giant has been "considered to have withdrawn" from the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Two competition by the Asian Football Confederation . The withdrawal follows the Indian Super League (ISL) champion's failure to report to Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran, for its Group C fixture against Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan SC on Tuesday. This decision marks the second consecutive year MBSG has withdrawn from the AFC's second-tier club competition under similar circumstances.
The club officially announced on Saturday that it had pulled out of the fixture because its six foreign players declined to travel to Iran, citing "advisories from their respective countries." A collective decision was made after a meeting involving all players and Indian staff, with the club official stating, "Our players and their families have expressed concern over travel to Iran... The club after due consideration is thoughtful of their request for safety." The foreign contingent includes players from Australia, the UK, Spain, and Brazil.
In a formal statement, the AFC confirmed the withdrawal in accordance with Article 5.2 of the competition regulations. The continental body added that the matter will now be referred to the relevant AFC Committee for an appropriate decision, which could include a fine of at least $50,000 and "disqualification from participating in one or more future seasons of the AFC club competitions." Furthermore, the AFC stated that MBSG’s previous match played in the group stage is "cancelled and considered null and void," with no points or goals counting towards the final Group C standings.
Mohun Bagan had requested the AFC to shift the match out of Iran, citing player safety concerns and precedents where matches involving Iranian clubs were played at neutral venues due to geopolitical or security tensions. They alleged that the AFC refused to share its risk assessment report despite government advisories against travel to Iran. The club has since approached the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to "seek a fair resolution and safeguard its interests" following the AFC's decision.
Last year, when MBSG refused to travel to Iran to face Tractor SC, the AFC also deemed them "withdrawn." Similarly, Mumbai City FC was previously forced to play in Tehran without their key foreign players. This latest incident could have significant ramifications for the future participation of Indian clubs in AFC competitions.