Indian Super League (ISL) champion Mohun Bagan Super Giant has urged the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to make the Durand Cup an all-domestic tournament by excluding foreign players.
In a letter sent to the AIFF this week, the club stated, “We, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, hereby request you to make the Durand Cup a domestic player tournament. This will enable the development of Indian players and provide more opportunities to Indian strikers and centre-backs to play.”
Mohun Bagan has been drawn in Group B alongside Diamond Harbour FC, Border Security Force FT, and Mohammedan Sporting. Its campaign begins on July 31 against Mohammedan Sporting.
During an AIFF executive committee meeting, president Kalyan Chaubey discussed proposals to reduce the number of foreign players in domestic leagues. Mohun Bagan believes the Durand Cup presents an ideal opportunity to take a step in that direction.
Currently, ISL and I-League clubs can register six foreigners, with only four allowed on the field at any time. On the other hand, the Super Cup permits six foreign players per team.
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“If the club fields players like Jason Cummings and Jamie Maclaren, where will Suhail Bhat play? The main goal is to give Indian players more playing time,” a source close to the developments told Sportstar.
The move also comes amid uncertainty over foreign players’ long-term commitments to ISL clubs. Except for Maclaren, whose has a deal in place till 2028, all other foreign players at the club have contracts expiring next summer.
The club also has a verbal agreement in place with Brazilian forward Robson Robinho.
On July 18, the Supreme Court is set to rule on the AIFF constitution, which could bring clarity to the ISL’s future and facilitate smoother contract negotiations. However, with the Durand Cup starting just four days later, the timing poses a challenge.
While making the Durand Cup an all-Indian tournament may not directly benefit Mohun Bagan, it would level the playing field by putting all participating teams at an equal disadvantage.
This could also buy the club more time to negotiate contract extensions with its foreign players.
A Change of Heart
Mohun Bagan had nearly decided to withdraw from the Durand Cup, following the lead of seven other ISL clubs. However, the club sent a letter to the Indian Armed Forces—the tournament organisers—listing conditions for their participation.
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“The club wrote to the army with four major demands, starting with the availability of a practice ground. The team is currently training at the National Centre of Excellence’s astro turf, as construction is underway at the Mohun Bagan ground,” the source added.
Other demands included resolving ticketing issues, addressing minor administrative concerns, and ensuring that the tournament schedule did not clash with the club’s Calcutta Football League commitments.
The Army agreed to all conditions last week, securing Mohun Bagan’s participation.
The 2025 Durand Cup will feature 24 teams divided into six groups of four. The group winners and the two best second-placed teams will advance to the knockout stage, which will consist of single-leg eliminators. The final will be held at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium on August 22.
