Players, Coaching Staff To Transfer Under New Agreement From September
Key Points:
- Tata Steel Transfers Equity Stake In Jamshedpur FC To Churchill Brothers
- Twelve Players, Two Coaches To Move Under New Club From September 2026
- ISL Sporting License Also Included In Handover Agreement
JAMSHEDPUR – Tata Steel has agreed to transfer its equity stake in Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited to Churchill Brothers Football Club. The transfer will be carried out for a token amount.
The agreement, framed under All India Football Federation rules, also includes the Indian Super League sporting license held by Jamshedpur FC. Tata Steel and Churchill Brothers signed the deal on Friday.
Starting September 2026, Churchill Brothers will take over contracts of all Jamshedpur FC players and coaching staff. This includes twelve players and two coaches currently attached to the club.
The move is expected to let the players and staff continue their professional careers within the ISL. Churchill Brothers, based in Goa, has been part of Indian football for nearly four decades.
The Goa-based club has won the I-League title twice and holds a strong domestic football record. However, it had not previously held a presence in the top-tier Indian Super League.
D. B. Sundar Ramam, Vice President of Corporate Services at Tata Steel, described Churchill Brothers as a club with a rich history in Indian football. He said the agreement would allow Jamshedpur FC’s players and coaches to continue their journey in club football.
Ramam also thanked the All India Football Federation and Churchill Brothers for supporting a smooth transition. He said Tata Steel would continue focusing on grassroots and youth football initiatives going forward.
The company will continue identifying and nurturing young talent from local and tribal communities, he said. Meanwhile, the Tata Football Academy was established in Jamshedpur in 1987.
The academy has trained more than 300 cadets to date. Of these, more than 150 have gone on to represent the Indian national football team.
Tata Steel plans to retain its existing sports infrastructure and use it for grassroots football and player development. In addition, the company will work with the AIFF to modernize and expand its youth football system.
Besides football, Tata Steel also runs academies in archery, hockey, sport climbing and rowing. The Tata Archery Academy has trained more than 180 cadets over 25 years, including eight Olympians.
On the other hand, the Naval Tata Hockey Academy runs 32 grassroots and regional development centers. It provides players with high-level training, nutrition and mental preparation support.
