The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), on Saturday, announced the list of clubs licensed to compete in upcoming tournaments for the 2023-24 season.Â
The AFC grants licenses to clubs based on various criteria, ensuring their compliance with standards and regulations.
The released list has revealed a mixed outcome for Indian football clubs, with some successfully acquiring licenses without sanctions, while others faced rejections.
Among the Indian clubs that managed to secure licenses without any sanctions are Kerala Blasters, Odisha FC, Chennaiyin FC, and RoundGlass Punjab FC.
These teams have evidently met the AFC’s requirements and can now look forward to participating in future competitions with a clean slate.
On the other hand, some prominent Indian football clubs have obtained licenses but with accompanying sanctions.
Mumbai City FC, ATK Mohun Bagan FC, Bengaluru FC, FC Goa, and Jamshedpur FC have all been granted licenses; however, they have received sanctions due to certain violations or shortcomings.
The nature and severity of the sanctions imposed on each club have not been specified in the announcement.
Unfortunately, not all Indian clubs have been as fortunate. East Bengal FC, Hyderabad FC, and NorthEast United FC have been denied licenses by the AFC.
The reason cited for their denial is their multiple failures to meet the criteria outlined by the AFC, referred to as Criteria A.
