Tata Steel has transferred its entire ownership of Jamshedpur FC to Goa-based Churchill Brothers Sports Club Private Limited for a nominal consideration of Rs 100, marking the end of the steel major's ownership of the Indian Super League (ISL) club. The transaction involves the transfer of Tata Steel's 100 per cent stake in Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited (JFSPL), the entity that owns and operates Jamshedpur FC.
Under the deal, Churchill Brothers will take control of the club and its ISL licence, along with 12 player contracts and two coaches. The development brings an end to Tata Steel's ownership of the club it established after securing an ISL expansion slot in 2017.
Tata Steel's board approved the transfer of its entire stake in JFSPL to Churchill Brothers for the symbolic sum of Rs 100.
The deal comes after Tata Steel decided to step away from running a team in India's top-flight football competition.
Jamshedpur FC joined the ISL in the 2017-18 season and subsequently established itself as a prominent club in the competition. Its biggest success came in the 2021-22 season when it won the ISL League Winners' Shield.
The club has also developed a strong support base in Jamshedpur, playing its home matches at the JRD Tata Sports Complex.
Tata Steel is expected to continue its involvement in football at the grassroots and community levels despite exiting ownership of the professional club.
The acquisition opens the way for Churchill Brothers to return to the top tier of Indian football.
The Goa club has a long history in Indian football and has twice won the country's national league. Its last appearance in the top flight came during the 2013-14 season.
Churchill Brothers were at the centre of a prolonged dispute over the 2024-25 I-League title. They were initially declared champions before Inter Kashi successfully challenged the decision, resulting in Churchill missing out on promotion.
The acquisition of Jamshedpur FC now provides the Goa club with a route into the ISL through the transfer of the existing club entity and its licence.
The ownership change marks a significant moment for football in Jamshedpur, where Tata Steel has played a longstanding role in developing the sport.
Jamshedpur FC's arrival in the ISL in 2017 had given Jharkhand a presence in India's premier club football competition and built on the city's established football infrastructure, including the Tata Football Academy.
The transfer comes at a period of wider uncertainty in Indian club football following changes to the commercial structure of the country's top-tier competition.
Churchill Brothers will now assume responsibility for the club's operations and existing contractual commitments as it prepares for its entry into the ISL.