CAS ruling reverses domestic decision and crowns I-League champions in a case that could ripple through India’s growing sports market
It took two rulings from the world’s top sports court, but Inter Kashi FC have been crowned I-League champions in India, not by scoring a last-minute winner, but by outmaneuvering the country’s football federation in court.
The Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on 18 July that Inter Kashi’s controversial use of foreign player Marco Barco was legitimate, overturning a disciplinary decision that had seen the club stripped of points and displaced from the top of the table.
With that single ruling, CAS reshuffled the final standings of India’s second-tier league and handed Inter Kashi the title, potentially clearing their path to the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL).
A title race decided in Switzerland
The dispute centred on the registration of Marco Barco, a foreign player whose eligibility was later challenged by rivals. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) sided against Inter Kashi in May 2025, ordering that all matches in which Barco played be forfeited.
This dropped the club to second place and elevated Goa-based Churchill Brothers to the top of the table.
Inter Kashi responded by taking the case to CAS, and won. A hearing in mid-July led the panel to set aside the AIFF’s ruling, reinstating Inter Kashi’s match results and confirming them as league champions with 42 points, two ahead of Churchill.
It was the club’s second legal victory in just a month. On June 17, CAS also sided with Inter Kashi over a separate eligibility dispute involving Namdhari FC, another I-League club. In that case, the court reinstated a 3–0 result in Inter Kashi’s favour, again overturning the AIFF’s disciplinary and appeals bodies.
What this tells us about India’s sporting ecosystem
India is not unfamiliar with elite international sport; its cricket economy dwarfs most national sports budgets, and the country is pushing for Olympic success, Formula E investment, and greater football reach. But the football pyramid remains a work in progress.
The I-League, once India’s top flight, is now a second-tier competition beneath the franchised Indian Super League (ISL). Promotion between the two was introduced only in 2022, and while Inter Kashi’s title would typically earn them an ISL spot, there are complications. The ISL’s commercial operator, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), is reportedly advocating for a 10-year suspension of relegation and stricter entry conditions, a move that could blunt the impact of Inter Kashi’s victory.
More urgently, the CAS ruling raises deeper concerns about the AIFF’s internal decision-making. Two legal reversals in succession suggest potential shortcomings in procedural fairness and regulatory enforcement; issues that could deter investment or weaken faith in the league’s credibility.
Implications for investors and the wider sports business
While the immediate winners are Inter Kashi’s players, fans and backers, the broader impact may be reputational. CAS doesn’t regularly intervene in domestic Indian football disputes. That it has done so twice in quick succession – and on relatively routine regulatory matters – will raise questions among investors and prospective sponsors.
This also comes at a time when India is seeking to position itself as a serious destination for global football development. FIFA and the AFC have supported recent reforms, but cases like this suggest execution still lags behind ambition.
The AIFF has not yet issued a detailed public response. Meanwhile, Inter Kashi await confirmation of their promotion and the knock-on effects it may have on player contracts, sponsorship deals, and preparation for the 2025–26 season.
CAS is expected to publish the full award unless confidentiality is requested. If released, it could offer useful insights into how the court viewed AIFF’s handling of player registration and disciplinary procedure — and whether systemic reform is now on the cards.
