Panaji: Jamshedpur FC’s decision to withdraw from the Indian Super League (ISL) has a lot to do with finances and the belief from its shareholders that the top tier league is financially unviable.The former ISL champions – owned by Tata Steel – took the Indian football fraternity by surprise when they informed the All India Football Federation (AIFF) of its Board decision to discontinue its participation from the country’s top tier football league.“The decision to exit ISL is primarily due to the inability of JFSPL (Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited) to generate cashflows for running the club,” club CEO Mukul Choudhari wrote in a letter to AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan late on Friday. “JFSPL relies on its shareholders almost entirely for funding all of its operating costs, either through equity or through sponsorship. The shareholders have communicated that they are unable to commit significant funding or sponsorship going forward to JFSPL because they believe that the business model of JFC’s participation in ISL, in the form as it stands, is structurally financially unviable for the foreseeable future.”Tata Steel had successfully bid for the Jamshedpur franchise in 2017.For the first time this season, India’s top tier football league has a club-led model. The clubs will collectively operate the league through an appropriate league operating entity while the federation retains a 10% ownership interest in the league structure.The decision to withdraw from ISL has understandably left the players and staffers devastated. According to sources, 12 players have long-term contracts, while six others were signed earlier this season exclusively for Durand Cup duty. Coach Owen Coyle, who won the ISL for Jamshedpur in 2022, also remains contracted.“It’s been a shock for us since we heard the news and were told that the club will shut operations,” said defender Pratik Chaudhari, speaking on behalf of all players. “We are confused, obviously angry, worried about the future. It’s hard.”In its letter to AIFF, Jamshedpur have assured the federation that they “shall make all due payments to players, coaches and other support staff as per agreed contractual arrangements without any delay.”The club will now focus on nurturing home-grown youth talent through “grassroots programmes, quality coaching, and structured development pathways.”“We will continue in our endeavour to promote and develop the game of football, including at the grassroot level,” said Choudhari. “By working together with the Tata Football Academy, we will continue to identify and develop young football talent across India to create a strong pathway for young players from grassroots to national and international football.”
