Mohun Bagan Disqualified from AFC Champions League Amidst Security Concerns

The Asian Football Confederation disqualified Mohun Bagan Super Giant from the AFC Champions League for not playing against Tractor FC, citing security concerns due to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. The decision has led to the cancellation of all the team's matches in the tournament.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has disqualified India's Mohun Bagan Super Giant from the AFC Champions League Two for failing to field a team against Iran's Tractor FC. The Kolkata club cited security concerns arising from the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict as their reason for not traveling to Iran.

Tensions in West Asia have intensified recently, with Iran launching ballistic missiles at Israel and the United States coordinating with Israeli forces in defense efforts. This escalation followed an Israeli airstrike that killed Hezbollah's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, and the earlier death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

In announcing the disqualification, the AFC cited Article 5.2 of the AFC Champions League Two 2024/25 Competition Regulations. All Mohun Bagan matches have been voided, meaning their previous fixtures will not count towards the final Group A rankings.

(With inputs from agencies.)