Indian Football Team Heads to London for Unity Cup Amid Player Controversy

The Indian men's football team has embarked on a journey to London for the Unity Cup, but a significant controversy has emerged as seven players from Mohun Bagan Super Giant will not participate. This situation highlights the ongoing tensions between club commitments and national duties in Indian football. With the tournament set to feature teams like Nigeria and Zimbabwe, India's chances of gaining valuable ranking points are at stake. The absence of key players poses a challenge as the team aims to rebuild momentum following a recent decline in their FIFA ranking. This incident reflects broader issues within Indian football, where the ambitions of the national team often clash with the priorities of major clubs.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 24, 2026, 20:19 IST

Indian Men's Football Team Departure

In the early hours of Sunday, the Indian men's football team departed for London to participate in the Unity Cup, scheduled from May 26 to 30. However, the team will be without seven players from the reigning Indian Super League (ISL) champions, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, due to a significant disagreement between the club and the national team that escalated just a day before their flight. This situation has once again highlighted the ongoing tensions in Indian football regarding the club-versus-country dilemma.

Seven players from Mohun Bagan—Vishal Kaith, Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Sahal Abdul Samad, Anirudh Thapa, Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco, and Suhail Ahmad Bhat—returned to their club after their travel arrangements were canceled on Saturday evening. Additionally, Lalengmawia Ralte, who was also part of the preliminary squad, was unable to join due to an injury. The remaining 18 players made their way from Bengaluru to London for the tournament, which includes teams from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Jamaica. Notably, this tournament occurs outside FIFA's designated international window and will take place at The Valley.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) initially communicated the Unity Cup plans to ISL clubs on April 10, followed by visa arrangements on April 23. Clubs were later informed that players would gather in Bengaluru on May 22 before departing for London around May 24. However, tensions arose on May 20 when Mohun Bagan SG's CEO, Vinay Chopra, sent an email to the federation stating that the club would only release players during the FIFA international window, suggesting coordination with players accordingly. By this time, visas for all 28 players had been processed, and travel tickets had been issued.

Despite this, the seven Bagan players reported to the national camp in Bengaluru and participated in a recovery session on May 22. However, on the morning of May 23, they were instructed to skip training and return to their club. The AIFF claims the players were called back, while Mohun Bagan asserts that it merely allowed players to make their own choices, emphasizing that any injuries incurred outside the FIFA window would not be the club's responsibility. The national team management waited until 3:50 PM on Friday for a resolution before ultimately canceling the players' tickets.

The absence of these players poses a significant challenge for India as they prepare to face higher-ranked teams. Although the Unity Cup is outside the official FIFA window, it has been designated as a 'Tier 1' tournament by FIFA, meaning that any ranking points earned will be fully recognized. Currently ranked 133rd, India has seen a decline since breaking into the top 100 in June 2023, making this tournament a crucial opportunity to regain momentum.

For Mohun Bagan, the focus remains on player welfare, with the club citing injuries sustained by Ashique Kuruniyan and Subhasish Bose during national duty as reasons for their cautious stance. This incident echoes a similar conflict during the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup, once again placing Indian football in a precarious position between the aspirations of its national team and the priorities of its leading club.