What possible repercussions can Mohun Bagan face for skipping Sepahan SC clash in AFC Champions League Two?

Mohun Bagan were scheduled to play against Sepahan SC on September 30.

Mohun Bagan have confirmed that they are not travelling to Iran for their upcoming scheduled match against Sepahan SC in the AFC Champions League Two. The match is currently poised to take place on Tuesday (30 September 2025), but the Mariners are not going to make the trip for the clash.

The Kolkata giants have cited safety concerns as the reason for not being willing to make the trip to the Middle East. They have claimed that their players do not feel safe enough to play in Iran, especially with their Australian players being advised by their government not to make a trip to Iran because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

With that being said, the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) are unlikely to be sympathetic with the Mariners in this decision. That is because the governing body has given green light to matches to take place in Iran, with other teams like Tractor SC set to host matches in the upcoming week as well.

That could spell bad news for Mohun Bagan, who risk sparking the wrath of the AFC with their decision against playing the match against Sepahan. It could also result in severe consequences; here, we look at the potential repercussions that the Mariners could face for no-showing the Sepahan SC clash.

Elimination from AFC Champions League Two

A similar case had ensued for Mohun Bagan in the 2024-25 season as well. The Mariners had qualified for the group stages of the AFC Champions League Two and were held to a draw in their opening game against Ravshab Kulob. However, trouble brewed soon after.

Mohun Bagan were poised to face Tractor SC in their second group game in Tabriz (Iran). However, with Iran facing a heated conflict with Israel during that period, Mohun Bagan’s management did not want to risk forcing their players to travel to Iran because of the dangers in the region.

As a result, the Indian Super League (ISL) side refused to travel to play that game. The AFC did not want to reschedule the clash or move it to a neutral location, with Tractor SC being granted all three points for the game.

Soon after, Mohun Bagan were disqualified and eliminated from the competition. All their points and goals were considered null and void, resulting in it becoming a three-team group. A similar case could follow if the Mariners end up not playing against Sepahan SC in their scheduled match.

Indeed, the AFC are unlikely to show any sympathy for their situation – mostly because other teams are ready to travel to Iran to compete in continental matches. As a result, snubbing the Sepahan SC game will probably see Mohun Bagan eliminated from the 2025-26 AFC Champions League and end their continental dream.

Possible fine

Not only are Mohun Bagan under the threat of losing their spot in the AFC Champions League Two group stages, but further repercussions could be in the offing for them because the AFC might be convinced to hand them a financial penalty as a way of punishing them for skipping the match.

Recently, the AFC slapped a $10,000 fine on the Nepal Football Association for withdrawing and refusing to play in the 2026 AFC Futsal Cup qualifiers. They could also do the same for Mohun Bagan for going against the rules. They could perhaps even issue a heavier penalty on the Mariners for committing this for the second straight year, something that could hit the coffers of Mariners.

Future Ban

Mohun Bagan were able to avoid a possible ban from the AFC in the 2024-25 season because of their ability to give a genuine reason for no-showing the match against Tractor SC in the AFC Champions League Two. As there was a real ongoing conflict situation in Iran back then, the AFC opted against taking further action against the Mariners.

However, the continental body are unlikely to be just as lenient on them this time around. Indeed, Mohun Bagan are looking at the possibility of a probable ban, which could force them to miss out on continental football for the foreseeable future.

In the 1999/2000 season, Mohun Bagan were struck with a ban from the AFC for refusing to play in one of their matches. That was in their AFC Champions League second round clash against Japanese side Jubilo Iwata FC. After the Mariners lost the first leg by an 8-0 margin away from home, they simply refused to host the Japanese side in their second leg in Kolkata.

As a result, the AFC decided to hand them a hefty $3,000 penalty and also bring down the ban hammer on the Mariners. Not only that, but the Kolkata side were also handed a three-year ban from AFC Competitions, while the body also decided to bar any Indian team from playing in an AFC competition for two years.

Force Majeure Clause

Mohun Bagan can hope that the ‘Force Majeure’ clause works in their favour in redeeming their decision against travelling to Iran for the match. That is because the AFC could be more understanding of Mohun Bagan’s decision if they’re able to prove the Force Majeure clause to their advantage.

This ‘Force Majeure’ clause basically pertains to valid safety reasons for a team refusing to travel to another location for a major game. If Mohun Bagan are able to cite the exact valid safety concerns they had, then the AFC could opt against banning them for future competitions.

Mohun Bagan have already confirmed that they are going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to plead their innocence in the matter. If they are able to earn support from CAS, then the AFC might be compelled to avoid banning Mohun Bagan for future competitions – even though the Mariners are likely to face an elimination from the competition nonetheless.

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