PANAJI: Churchill Brothers SC will continue to be the lone team from Goa in the I-League after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) emergency committee approved the club’s request to be allowed to be part of India’s notionally top tier league.
With the retention of Churchill Brothers, the I-League will comprise of 11 teams this season.
“The AIFF emergency committee has approved Churchill Brothers participation in the I-League,” AIFF vice president Subratta Dutta confirmed to Navhind Times.
The AIFF emergency committee consists of the president (Praful Patel), vice presidents and treasurer of AIFF.
Churchill Brothers were relegated at the end of last season after finishing ninth in the 10-team league, while Real Kashmir was promoted after topping the standings in the Second Division.
“The I-League fixtures will be completed by the end of this month. The process has already started and we expect the I League to start somewhere in October. The details will be out as soon as we streamline the fixtures,” I-League CEO Sunando Dhar told Navhind Times.
Churchill Brothers has been utilising the “Financial Assistance to Football Clubs from Goa Scheme” introduced by the government last year. Clubs that meet the requirements of this scheme can avail of financial assistance of up to Rs 30 million a year. Churchill Brothers availed of this scheme last year, the daily reports.
