Indian Club Mohun Bagan Banned, Fined by AFC for Refusing Iran Match

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has banned Indian club Mohun Bagan Super Giant from all its competitions and fined the club over $100,000 for refusing to play a match in Iran.

Mohun Bagan skipped their Asian Champions League Two group match against Sepahan in Iran in September, citing concerns over security and the lack of medical insurance coverage. Following the no-show, the AFC disciplinary and ethics committee imposed a ban on the club for the next edition of the continental second-tier tournament, extending up to the 2027–28 season.

In addition to the ban, Mohun Bagan was fined $50,000 and ordered to pay $50,729 in damages and losses incurred by the AFC and Sepahan. Their matches in the competition were subsequently declared null and void.

The club had previously appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to move the match to a neutral venue, but the request was denied. This was not the first time Mohun Bagan declined to travel to Iran, having also skipped a match against Tractor SC last year following missile attacks by Iran toward Israel.

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