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City Football Group Leaves Mumbai City FC With ISL Season Still in Limbo

The withdrawal highlights unresolved questions over this season’s format, finances, control in Indian top-tier football.

Overview

  • Mumbai City FC informed the AIFF of a change in shareholders, and an AIFF official said the club will buy City Football Group’s 65% stake.
  • PTI reported that Mumbai City FC have bought CFG’s shares, with multiple outlets indicating the stake is expected to revert to co-owners Ranbir Kapoor and Bimal Parekh.
  • CFG entered in 2019 and helped drive on-field success, with Mumbai City winning two League Winners’ Shields and two ISL Cups during that period.
  • An AIFF committee discussed two emergency formats with clubs to stage the 2025–26 season: a two-zone hub model leading to knockouts or a single‑leg league with fixed away matches, with further talks slated for December 26 and 29 before approaching broadcasters.
  • The season’s delay follows the lapse of FSDL’s commercial deal and strained AIFF finances reported at ₹19.89 crore, as clubs press for a club‑led league model that the federation has publicly criticized.