ISL 2018-19: Five clubs not granted AFC license

Five ISL clubs will have to request an exemption after failing to meet the required criteria for club licensing...

Reigning (ISL) champions and runners-up are among five clubs to have met the required criteria for the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Club Licensing Criteria for the 2018-19 season, Goal can confirm.

The Marina Machans have been awarded the AFC and the National license by the All Football Federation's (AIFF) Club Licensing Committee - First Instance Body (CLC-FIB). This means Chennaiyin FC have been cleared to take part in the next year apart from the ISL.

The five licensing criteria are listed here .

, and have also satisfactorily met the five criteria of the committee and have been awarded an AFC and a National license.

The five other ISL clubs - , Mumbai City FC, , and - have failed the inspection and have not been awarded the national or the AFC license.

As a result, the five clubs in question will now have to request an exemption in order to take part in the upcoming ISL. It is expected that they will be granted an exemption for a year but the clubs will have to pay a fine.

The 2018-19 season of the ISL is set to kick-start on Saturday when Kerala Blasters take on ATK at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata. With the opening game just a day away, the Kochi-based side will now be forced to send a written request to allow them to take part in the games.

It is embarrassing that these clubs have failed to clear the licensing criteria despite spending crores of money. All the clubs were assisted in the licensing process and a deadline was informed well in advance. The All Football Federation (AIFF) had conducted club licensing workshops with all the clubs.

If half of the league's participants can clear the inspection, the others who have failed are left with no excuses. Except for Jamshedpur FC, the rest of the clubs have been in existence for over four years.

This points to a lack professionalism from the clubs who have not cleared the licensing process.