Tata Steel transfers Jamshedpur FC ownership to Churchill Brothers

Churchill Brothers are set to feature in the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season starting September 4 after Tata Steel on Friday sold its entire stake in Jamshedpur Football Club to the Goan side.

The Goan club is expected to pay the full Rs 1.1 crore participation fee to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) by Friday's deadline set for all participating ISL 2026-27 clubs.

Jamshedpur FC had pulled out of the ISL and disbanded the first team on July 31, hours after the deadline for paying the first installment of participation fee amounting to Rs 55 lakh.

The AIFF had said that all the 13 other ISL clubs have paid their participation fees.

On Friday, Tata Steel transferred Jamshedpur FC's Indian Super League sporting lisence. The transfer of ownership for a nominal amount of Rs 100 includes the transfer of Jamshedpur FC's 12 players and two coaches to the Goan club.

Churchill will take over the contracts of all Jamshedpur FC players and coaching staff with effect from September 1. The transfer of ownership is expected to be completed by August 31.

"Tata Steel has agreed to transfer its equity shares in 'Jamshedpur Football & Sporting Private Limited' (JFSPL) to Churchill Brothers Football Club for a token consideration," Tata Steel said in a release.

Jamshedpur FC and Sporting Private Limited (JFSPL) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Steel.

"This transfer, made in accordance with All India Football Federation (AIFF) regulations, includes the transfer of the Club's Indian Super League (ISL) sporting licence, and the transfer of 12 players & 2 coaches.

"Churchill Brothers will take over the contracts of all JFC players and coaching staff with effect from September 2026, offering them the opportunity to continue their professional football careers in the ISL."

The completion of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, including receipt of necessary approvals from the All-India Football Federation and completion of other customary actions and activities as agreed between Tata Steel and Churchill.

Churchill had won the I-League title, the second tier competition of domestic football structure before it was rechristened Indian Football League from this season, in 2008-09 and 2012-13.

Earlier this year, the AIFF had relegated Churchill to I-League 2 after pulling out of the 2025-26 I-League.

The Goan side were initially declared the provisional champions of I-League 2024-25 by the AIFF, but the decision was later overturned by the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which declared Inter Kashi the champions, allowing the Varanasi-based side promotion to the ISL.

Tata Steel said it remains firmly committed to its long legacy of developing sports at a grassroots level, expanding access, and strengthening India's sporting ecosystem.

"The Tata Football Academy (TFA) was established in 1987 at Jamshedpur and has trained over 300 cadets, 150 of whom have represented the Indian National team.

"The majority of the Jharkhand boys U-14 and U-16 teams have come through Tata Steel Foundation football training centres, which work with tribal communities," the company said.

D B Sundara Ramam, Vice President Corporate Services at Tata Steel, said, "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.

"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."

Addressing a press conference, Ramam said Jamshedpur FC may continue to participate in local tournaments, and his company will honour the contract of any player if he prefers to stay back.

He said Tata Steel is planning to start a girls football academy on the lines of the already existing Tata Football Academy (TFA).

Asked if the JRD Tata Sports complex will continue to be a venue for ISL, Ramam said, "We will certainly welcome if any ISL match is played at this venue as Tata Steel will continue to maintain the infrastructure."

The sale agreement also furnished the turnover of Jamshedpur FC and Sporting Private Limited for financial year to be Rs 32.23 crore, which is 0.01 per cent of the consolidated turnover of Tata Steel Limited.

The net worth of Jamshedpur FC and Sporting Private Limited as on March 31, 2026 was Rs 5.8 crore.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Bridge Desk. It is published from a syndicated feed.)