Mohun Bagan kicked out of AFC Champions League Two for refusing to travel to Iran

Indian soccer giant Mohun Bagan was kicked out of the Second Asian Football Confederation Champions League for failing to travel to Iran in early October. AFC has confirmed that all matches played by Mohun Bagan in the tournament will be declared void.

Mohun Bagan was scheduled to face Iran Pro League club Tractor FC in Tabriz on October 2. But the Indian Super League giants did not go to Iranciting security reasons in relation to the political unrest and security situation in Iran.

“Pursuant to Art. 5.2 of the AFC Champions League Two 2024/25 Competition Regulations (the “Competition Regulations”), the Asian Football Confederation confirms that India’s Mohun Bagan Super Giant is believed to have withdrawn from the AFC Champions League Two competition after the club failed to report to Tabriz in Islamic Republic of Iran for the AFC Champions League Group A match against Tractor FC on October 2, 2024.” – AFC said in a statement.

Mohun Bagan reportedly wrote to AFC explaining the players’ reluctance to travel to Iran and urging the governing body to postpone the match or move it to a neutral venue.

“Accordingly, all matches played by Mohun Bagan Super Giant are canceled and declared void in accordance with Article 5.6 of the Competition Regulations. For the avoidance of doubt, no points or goals scored in the club’s matches will be taken into account when determining the result. final rankings in Group A in accordance with Art. 8 section 3 of the Competition Regulations.

“The matter will now be referred to the relevant AFC committees as determined by them,” he added.

Mohun Bagan played a goalless draw at home to FC Ravshan of Tajikistan on 18 September. The Durand Cup runners-up were scheduled to fly from Bengaluru to Iran after the conclusion of their Indian Super League match against Bengaluru FC on September 28. However, Mohun Bagan returned home from Bengaluru after their players were reported to have said that they did not want to travel to Iran.

“We have booked flight tickets and arranged hotel accommodation, but we could not jeopardize the safety of our players when the country is in mourning,” a club source told news agency PTI in early October.

Mohun Bagan was placed in Group A of the second AFC Champions League along with FC Ravshan, Tractor SC and Al Wakrah of Qatar.