Jamshedpur FC sold to Churchill Brothers for ₹100, ending Tata Steel ownership

Jamshedpur FC have been sold to Churchill Brothers Sports Club Private Limited, bringing an end to Tata Steel's ownership of the Indian Super League (ISL) club.

The transaction, completed for a nominal consideration of ₹100, transfers full ownership of Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited (JFSPL), the company behind the football club, to the Goa-based outfit.

This development comes in the aftermath of Tata Steel confirming that Jamshedpur FC would withdraw from the upcoming ISL season, stating that the club's focus would be on grassroots football.

The company had decided against paying the ₹55 lakh participation fee required under the league's new club-led model and subsequently confirmed that the club's operations would be shut down.

Details of Churchill Brothers' acquisition

According to multiple reports, the deal covers Jamshedpur FC’s ISL sporting licence, as well as the contracts of 12 players and two coaches, subject to approval from the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

The deal could also pave the way for Churchill Brothers to feature in the ISL, India's top-tier football league, subject to AIFF approval.

Churchill Brothers have informed the AIFF of their acquisition of the licence, with the club set to take over Jamshedpur FC’s position in the league once the transfer is approved by the federation.

Jamshedpur FC's decision to withdraw from the ISL prompted appeals from fans and players, including former India captain Sunil Chhetri, who urged the Tata Group to reconsider its decision.

“To know that Jamshedpur has folded first team operations is a punch to the gut. The players and staff will be without clubs, and they might find one by the end of it all. The League will have a team less, but the season will go on,” Chhetri had written on “X”.

“However, not having the TATA group involved in the top tier of Indian football — that would be a disaster with no alternative,” he added.

For Churchill Brothers, the acquisition represents a major development in its involvement in Indian football. The Goa club has a long history in the domestic game and returned to the top tier after winning the 2024-25 I-League, although Inter Kashi were subsequently declared champions following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding a player eligibility dispute.

Jamshedpur FC made their ISL debut in the 2017-18 season and went on to establish themselves as one of the most prominent clubs in the league. Jamshedpur FC's biggest achievement came in the 2021-22 season, when the club won the ISL League Winners’ Shield. Jamshedpur thus became only the third club, after FC Goa and Mumbai City FC, to win the ISL League Winners’ Shield.

The Red Miners also finished as runners-up in the 2025 Super Cup, losing 3-0 to FC Goa in the summit clash.