Five clubs write to AIFF against 8 foreigners in I-League

Five clubs, including AIFF vice-president Larsing Ming Sawyan’s Shillong Lajong FC, on Tuesday told the All India Football Federation (AIFF) that they were against registering eight foreign players per side in the 2017-18 I-League season.

Among the nine teams, Churchill Brothers remained undecided.

Five clubs, including AIFF vice-president Larsing Ming Sawyan’s Shillong Lajong FC, on Tuesday told the All India Football Federation (AIFF) that they were against registering eight foreign players per side in the 2017-18 I-League season.

It has been learnt that the I-League clubs wrote to the AIFF, expressing their disapproval over introducing more foreigners. As per the recommendation, two out of the eight players registered should be of Asian origin.

If those in the know of developments related to the issue are to be believed, only Kolkata heavyweights Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are pushing for an eight-player quota in the I-League.

Among the nine teams, Churchill Brothers remained undecided.

Last week, the AIFF said the I-League clubs have agreed to the concurrent running of two leagues this season. The development came a day after Asian Football Confederation gave official recognition to the Indian Super League by granting the next ISL champion an AFC Cup play-off slot.

Among the recommendations was that clubs be allowed to field five foreign players in a game, including one Asian footballer.

The I-League currently allows teams to register and play a maximum of four foreigners, one of whom must be from an Asian country, in keeping with the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) continental competition rules.

The suggestion of introducing more foreigners was supported by Mohun Bagan and East Bengal as they could lose their best players to the ISL as a result of concurrent leagues being run this year.