ACL 2: FC Goa players stage on-pitch protest in clash against Istikol over Indian football mess

New Delhi: FC Goa players staged an on-pitch silent protest during the opening seconds of their last AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) match against Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol over the Indian football mess on Wednesday, December 24.

With the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) for the Indian Super League (ISL) having expired earlier this year, the country is left without a top-tier football league.

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The uncertainty has also extended to the I-League, with clubs, players and staff left waiting without a clear plan. According to recent media reports, the City Football Group is also withdrawing from their partnership with Mumbai City FC, which also signifies the decreasing confidence within the Indian footballing landscape.

The ongoing crisis also had a huge effect on the Indian National Football Team. The Blue Tigers failed to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which means that there is no competitive football scheduled until at least November 2027.

FC Goa released an official statement saying that the protest was a symbolic gesture to highlight the uncertainty in Indian football. The ISL club further stated that the action was solely intended to draw attention to the broader challenges.

"At the start of our AFC Champions League Two match, FC Goa’s players briefly paused active play for the opening seconds as a symbolic gesture to highlight the uncertainty currently affecting Indian football," stated FC Goa.

"This action was solely intended to draw attention to the broader challenges facing the domestic football ecosystem. It was not directed at our opponents FC Istiklol, the AFC, or the AFC Champions League Two, all of whom we respect greatly," the statement added.

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It further added that the gesture carried no element of protest against the competition or its stakeholders, and it was only made in good faith, without any intent to cause offence or disruption.

10-man FC Istiklol defeated FC Goa 2-1 in the Group D clash of the AFC Champions League Two.