Mohun Bagan not to travel to Iran for ACL 2 fixture; approaches CAS for respite

Mohun Bagan are scheduled to play against Iran’s Sepahan SC on September 30.

Mohun Bagan have officially confirmed that their squad will not be travelling to Iran for their upcoming scheduled AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) match against Sepahan SC. The match is scheduled to take place on Tuesday (30 September 2025) and would be the Mariners’ first away game of the continental tournament’s campaign.

However, the Mariners have claimed that their individuals fear for their safety, and it has been decided that they will not be making the trip.

In an official statement, the club stated: “Mohun Bagan Super Giant prioritizes the safety and well-being of its players, officials, and support staff.

“Our players and their families have expressed concern over their travel to Iran. The Club, after due consideration, is thoughtful of their request for safety. After careful consideration of the government advisories and the potential uncovered risks involved, and upholding the players’ sentiments, the Club has approached the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to seek a fair resolution and safeguard its interest.”

Overseas players not advised to travel to Iran

This comes amid concerns from the Mohun Bagan foreign players about travelling to Iran for the match. The Australian Government, for one, continues to advise its citizens not to travel to any place in Iran because of the issues going on in the Middle East. Iran, for one, was involved in a conflict with the Israeli military. The two exchanged missiles in June (2025), with Israel’s military forces even targeting Nuclear Facilities in Iran.

Mohun Bagan also faced a similar situation in the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Two. They were scheduled to travel to Iran to face Tractor SC, only to refuse to do so. After that, the AFC decided to disqualify the Mariners from the competition, making it a three-team group. The Kolkata side were able to avoid a ban after pleading their case to the AFC committee.

However, if they refuse to travel to Iran again, Mohun Bagan are likely to be forced to give a 3-0 win to Sepahan SC if they refused to field a team for the game against the Irani side. They are also risking disqualification from the competition itself for refusing to take part in a match and potential further repercussions as well.

ACL 2 campaign in jeopardy

Mohun Bagan had a tough start to their 2025-26 AFC Champions League 2 group stages. They sustained a 1-0 loss to Ahal FK at the Salt Lake Stadium in their first game, with the upcoming game against Sepahan SC becoming an important fixture.

Mohun Bagan are currently scheduled to take part in the 2025 Super Cup from October, as they’ve been placed in the same group as East Bengal, Chennaiyin FC, and Real Kashmir FC. The Mariners are scheduled to open their Super Cup group stages against Chennaiyin FC on October 25, before battles against Real Kashmir (October 28) and East Bengal (October 31 in their remaining group stages matches.

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