Gokulam Kerala FC and Churchill Brothers have objected to the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) proposed roadmap of solidifying the Indian Super League (ISL) and reducing the number of clubs in the I-League.

As per a roadmap agreed by the stakeholders of Indian football three years ago, the winner of the I-League will be promoted to the ISL with no participation fee if they meet the national club licensing criteria from the 2022/23 season onwards.

Gokulam Kerala and Churchill Brothers, who have won the I-League twice so far have both registered their objections with the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) – claiming that they have not agreed to the agreement, nor signed any document related to the proposed roadmap.

“I have said this 10 years ago and I am saying it again, one league is a must or we will never make progress. Having 12-14 teams in the top tier is not the solution. Our players will continue to play fewer matches than what is needed for their development and we will continue to lag behind developed football nations,” Churchill Brothers CEO, Valanka Alemao said in an interview.

It has been claimed that the roadmap drafted by the AIFF and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) was unanimously agreed upon by all stakeholders, though Valanka has denied that was ever the case.

“I-League clubs have neither agree nor signed any document. I-League clubs were opposed to this roadmap,” he added.

Churchill Brothers for their part have approached the Committee of Administrators (CoA) to work and modify the roadmap to save the I-League.