Serious questions raised about the club’s management

The withdrawal of Mohun Bagan Super Giant from the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two has triggered intense backlash from fans and raised serious questions about the club’s management and continental ambitions. Fans flooded platforms with criticism, calling the club’s leadership “clown management” and expressing deep frustration over repeated withdrawals. Many supporters lamented the damage to Mohun Bagan’s reputation, especially given its historic stature in Indian football and previous continental appearances. The situation sparked a wave of memes mocking the club’s decision-making and perceived lack of preparedness for international commitments.

The club cited travel advisories and foreign players’ refusal to travel to Iran as the reason for withdrawal. Mohun Bagan has approached the Court of Arbitration for Sport, asserting that player safety was paramount. Despite these explanations, many fans viewed the move as avoidable and symptomatic of deeper strategic failures.

This marks the second consecutive season Mohun Bagan has pulled out of an AFC fixture in Iran, raising concerns about its commitment to continental competition. The AFC has canceled all previous match results, further eroding the club’s standing in the tournament. 

Mohun Bagan management  lack of prioritizing the first team in India’s domestic prestigious tournaments to protect the club’s legacy, maintain fan trust, maximise commercial value, and develop competitive continuity for continental success is a matter of concern. This is a strategic imperative that requires immediate policy changes, resource allocation, and transparent communication.

Mohun Bagan Athletic Club, today officially holding the senior Football team named as Mohun Bagan Super Giant, is not merely India’s oldest football establishment but an enduring symbol of Bengali and Indian sporting culture. Since its founding in 1889, the club has played a defining role in shaping not just the footballing ethos of the subcontinent but also in forging a sense of nationalist identity, as most iconically represented in the 1911 IFA Shield triumph. Yet, over the past three decades, Mohun Bagan’s management has been at the center of transformational, and often contentious shifts: first with corporate sponsorship and partial ownership by United Spirits, the move to the I-League and subsequent professionalization, and finally, the high-profile merger with ISL franchise ATK and subsequent rebranding episodes. These developments, coupled with administrative controversies, have raised perennial questions about ownership dilution, preservation (or loss) of legacy, and the impact upon a once homogenous yet now commercially-oriented club community.

The history of Mohun Bagan begins in the late 19th century, amid the rising tide of Indian nationalism. Founded on August 15, 1889, a date later to become Indian Independence Day at Mohun Bagan Villa in Kolkata, the club was the brainchild of three prominent Bengali families: Mitras, Basus, and Sens. Initially named Mohun Bagan Sporting Club, the organization quickly emphasized both competitive sport and cultural integrity, guided by the likes of Bhupendra Nath Bose, its first president and a future Congress president, who saw the club’s mission as larger than football, and Jyotindra Nath Bose, the first secretary.

The club’s early years were marked by strict codes of discipline, the promotion of educational values, and the recruitment of youth, including many students from Presidency College. In the second year, under the suggestion of Professor F.J. Rowe, the club’s name was changed to Mohun Bagan Athletic Club, signaling a broader sporting ambition.

On the field, Mohun Bagan quickly became a standard-bearer for native teams. The club won its first major trophy, the Coochbehar Cup, in 1904, going on to dominate local tournaments such as the Gladstone and Trades Cups. However, the 1911 IFA Shield final against the East Yorkshire Regiment remains the most famous moment in the club’s early history. Eleven barefooted Indian players defeated the British Army’s regiment team 2–1 before a crowd of 80,000, a victory that resounded across India as a symbol of anti-colonial resistance and national pride.

The 1911 win was historic not only for its sporting merit but also for how it galvanized a nation in the throes of the freedom struggle. It inspired a surge in nationalist sentiment and became, as contemporary press noted, a bittersweet rebuke to colonial sporting superiority.

Following the 1911 triumph, Mohun Bagan continued to build its legacy through trophies, infrastructure improvements, and innovative administrative steps. The club moved grounds several times, hosted charity matches to sustain operations, and, notably, in 1935, mandated the use of boots, moving away from its barefoot tradition.

Politically, the club also became a rallying point, as evidenced by conflicts with the colonial Indian Football Association (IFA) over representation and administrative rights. In 1929, Mohun Bagan spearheaded native clubs’ withdrawal from IFA registration, only returning after achieving parity in representation.

After independence, Mohun Bagan continued to dominate Indian football competitions, becoming the first club to win the IFA Shield in free India in 1947 . The club’s prestige ascended further with successes in the Calcutta Football League, Durand Cup, and Rovers Cup, while sending players and coaches to represent the national team at the Olympics. Legendary footballers such as Samar Banerjee and Subimal Chuni Goswami graced the club during this period.

Administratively, Mohun Bagan was primarily managed as a society under the framework of the Societies Registration Act. Club governance was maintained via general membership elections and adherence to the club’s own constitution, with the guiding principle of sportsmanship, community engagement, and a sense of altruistic stewardship.

Institutionally, Mohun Bagan cultivated traditions that extended well beyond football, celebrating anniversaries with major public events, forming trust boards for the support of players and club operations, and introducing awards such as the Mohun Bagan Ratna. The club’s diamond jubilee in 1949 and centenary in 1989 were significant markers, attended by celebrities, politicians, and fans alike. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s characterization of Mohun Bagan as “the National Club of India” was not only an honor but symbolic of the deep public investment in the club’s legacy.

During these decades, the management’s orientation was primarily toward preservation and expansion of the club as a sporting and cultural institution, with football as the crown jewel.

The economic reforms of the 1990s ushered in new modes of sports management in India, and Mohun Bagan was not immune to these changes. In 1998, United Spirits (a subsidiary of United Breweries, owned by Vijay Mallya) entered into a partnership with Mohun Bagan’s football division by purchasing a 50% stake. This led to the formation of United Mohun Bagan Private Limited and the high-profile rebranding to McDowell’s Mohun Bagan FC.

Unlike earlier sponsorship arrangements, this was a true structural transformation: the football unit was hived off as a distinct corporate entity, a shift from community-rooted society to shareholder-driven, commercially-oriented business. The club now operated under joint management, with the United Breweries Group having effective control over budget, marketing, and, crucially, footballing decisions.

The corporate phase brought an injection of funds, enhanced branding, and some success on the pitch, including high-profile player signings. However, the shift also generated major challenges. Fans, former players, and legacy-minded administrators grew concerned about the dilution of the club’s unique identity and ethos, with decisions increasingly dictated by sponsor priorities. The McDowell’s prefix and changes in branding, including stadium signage and kits, led to unease around the perceived “corporatisation” of Mohun Bagan.

Over time, increasing financial losses for United Breweries and the broader Indian football league system’s failure to generate significant returns fueled debates about the utility and sustainability of corporate partnerships. Internal tensions between stakeholder groups (company vs. society, old guard vs. new investors) proliferated.

Fan reactions during this era were complex. Many appreciated that the cash infusion allowed the club to compete with new professional outfits and recruit top foreign and Indian talent. However, as Mohun Bagan and East Bengal saw sponsor interests prioritized and the budget allocations fluctuated with the financial fortunes of corporate partners, concerns over lack of autonomy and the erosion of traditions continued to mount.

Club officials, such as Swapan Sadhan Bose, publicly expressed the “harsh” realities of survival in the modern era, repeatedly justifying strategic shifts as necessary for the club’s future. Yet neither the financial returns nor fan contentment reached the heights envisaged by corporate or sporting leadership.

The launch of the National Football League (NFL) in 1996, and its successor, the I-League, was meant to mark the dawn of a new, professionalized age for Indian football. For Mohun Bagan, participation in these national competitions required further organizational modernity: licensed coaches, improved facilities, and compliance with new league rules and financial disclosures.

Management during this era saw the appointment of professional managers and coaches, a move away from earlier administrative and player-coach formats. The first professional manager, Amal Dutta, introduced tactical sophistication, and by the late 2000s, foreign technical staff were common.

In sporting terms, Mohun Bagan enjoyed periodic success, the club won NFL titles in 1998, 2000, and 2002, and later the I-League in 2014–15 and 2019–20. However, the increasing competitiveness of new clubs (such as Bengaluru FC, Aizawl FC, and East Bengal’s own professional evolution), alongside the rise of the Indian Super League (ISL), raised new existential questions for the Green & Maroon brigade.

Amid ongoing dissatisfaction with the corporate arrangement and concerns over declining sporting fortunes, Mohun Bagan’s leadership made a landmark move in 2015, breaking away from United Breweries. The football operations returned temporarily to the society model, and in 2017, Mohun Bagan Football Club (India) Private Limited was registered as the new legal entity for football activities, giving the club greater autonomy on paper.

This move was partly in response to growing fan pressures and a recognition among club elders that the survival of the club’s identity required more than just sponsorship; it demanded managerial stewardship aligned with tradition.

By the late 2010s, the ISL had overtaken the I-League as the country’s premier football platform in terms of broadcast ratings, star power, and financial rewards. Mohun Bagan found itself at an inflection point: struggling financially, beaten in market presence by corporate-run ISL teams, and with dwindling attendance and sponsorship concerns.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and ISL organizers made it clear that, for legacy clubs, joining the ISL would require substantial corporate backing and rebranding. After failed talks with other potential investors, Mohun Bagan entered merger negotiations with ATK (Amar Tomar Kolkata), the ISL franchise owned by RPSG Group.

The formal merger was announced in January 2020: RPSG Group would acquire an 80% stake in Mohun Bagan’s football division, with the club retaining 20%. The merged entity was initially named ATK Mohun Bagan FC, debuting in the ISL for the 2020–21 season. The green-and-maroon kit and boatman logo were retained, but the “ATK” prefix, as well as the initial omission of the founding year “1889” from the crest, triggered immediate controversy among traditional supporters.

The new ownership’s intent was clear: infuse capital, unlock commercial potential, and make Mohun Bagan a consistent force domestically and internationally. However, for many supporters and analysts, the strategic control exercised by the new majority owner raised questions about who held true custodianship of the club’s legacy.

The rebranding to ATK Mohun Bagan, and the perceived subordination to a less historic club, sparked an outpouring of protest from fans, both online and on the streets. Hashtags like #RemoveATK trended for months; ultra groups organized marches and signature campaigns urging the restoration of the original name and a reassertion of independent Mohun Bagan identity.

The fans’ concerns extended beyond branding. Many felt the strategic direction of the club, including recruitment and administrative policies, were now dictated by commercial imperatives and an out-of-town corporate entity with limited historical roots in the community. Veteran players and former officials, including club legends, publicly lamented what they saw as the “selling of the club’s soul”.

Swapan Sadhan Bose, as well as principal RPSG owner Sanjiv Goenka, sought to assuage concerns by emphasizing the necessity of adaptation in a new footballing age. Bose acknowledged that “romance requires a partner called practicality,” while Goenka pledged that the “sentiments and aspirations” of Mohun Bagan fans would be respected.

Still, debate raged over whether the merger was the only viable survival path or a capitulation to market logic at the cost of community trust.

The intensity of the protest was such that, by June 2023, the club’s ownership relented, announcing the removal of “ATK” from the club’s official name and restoring “Mohun Bagan Super Giant.” The revised crest incorporated the founding year, and statements from owner Goenka credited the decision directly to fan input, describing it as an act of “listening to our supporters”.

The rebranding was welcomed with celebrations by the broader Mohun Bagan community, though some cynicism remained among traditionalists who continued to view the club’s relationship with RPSG as structurally asymmetrical.

Under RPSG’s stewardship, Mohun Bagan invested heavily in established foreign players and foreign-trained managers, aiming for both domestic success and Asian ambition. While on-pitch results improved, culminating in multiple ISL cups and Super Cup triumphs, critics pointed out a growing gap between these successes and genuine community-rooted club development.

Indeed, the commercial strategies, merchandising, ticketing, overseas training camps, mirrored successful models in Europe and with newer ISL franchises like Bengaluru FC. Yet, many supporters and observers argued that while sporting professionalism was necessary, a balance with legacy, community engagement, and supporter voice was not just preferable but essential for the club’s long-term social capital.

Meanwhile, the club’s recent withdrawals from continental competitions have led to renewed questions about strategic vision, resource allocation, and international ambition. Analysts urge that, while domestic success is crucial, sustainable global engagement is necessary for the long-term health and reputation of Mohun Bagan and Indian football at large.

Repeated controversies,ranging from security personnel violence at away stadiums, IPL jersey disputes, to social media outpourings in the wake of administrative actions, continue to test the club’s management and their relationship with supporters, who remain as passionate and protective as ever.