Tata Steel has agreed to transfer its equity shares in Jamshedpur Football & Sporting Private Limited to Churchill Brothers, allowing the Goan club to enter the Indian Super League (ISL) for the 2026-27 season. The deal includes players and staff.

Churchill Brothers Set for ISL Return

Tata Steel has agreed to transfer its equity shares in Jamshedpur Football & Sporting Private Limited (JFSPL) to Churchill Brothers Football Club, paving the way for the historic Goan club to enter the Indian Super League (ISL) for the 2026-27 season. According to a press release from Tata Steel, the agreement was signed on Friday.

The agreement includes the transfer of Jamshedpur FC's ISL sporting licence, along with the contracts of 12 players and two coaches. The transfer has been undertaken in accordance with the regulations of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Churchill Brothers will take over the contracts of the players and coaching staff from September 2026, ensuring continuity for the Jamshedpur FC personnel and allowing them to continue their professional careers in the ISL.

Tata Steel to Focus on Grassroots Football

"Churchill Brothers is a club with real history in Indian football, and we are glad that this agreement gives our players and coaches the opportunity to continue playing club football. We thank AIFF and Churchill Brothers for their partnership in making this transition a smooth one. Tata Steel will continue to focus on football at the grassroots and youth level, given our legacy of identifying and nurturing young talent, especially among local and tribal communities," Tata Steel Vice President, Corporate Services, DB Sundara Ramam said.

"This includes the Tata Football Academy, which has trained 150 cadets who have represented India and 26 captains of national teams across various age groups. We will continue to maintain and enhance our sporting infrastructure - repurposing it for grassroots football and athlete development. We will be modernising our youth system, investing in and further building its capability in collaboration with the AIFF," he added.

A 'New Chapter' for Goan Football

The development marks Churchill Brothers' return to India's top-flight football after a 14-year absence. The Goan club has a history spanning nearly four decades and has won two I-League titles.

Churchill Brothers welcomed the development and described it as a new chapter for Goan football, while thanking the AIFF and its Executive Committee for enabling the move.

"Goa deserves people who believe. That is what legacy truly means. That is what being Goa's own means. A family that has been here for 4.5 decades, competing, fighting and building football in India long before the ISL existed," the club said in an Instagram post.

The club added, "We would also like to thank AIFF and its Executive Committee for recognising this opportunity and enabling this next chapter of Indian football to take shape."

Churchill Brothers also called for the revival of the traditional Goa football rivalry, saying, "For years, Goa missed something -- the fire. The rivalry. The derby!!!! Now the old rivalry gets a new chapter. Get ready, Goa. Your family is back."

The transaction is expected to be completed by August 31, subject to customary clearances from the AIFF. (ANI)

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