New Delhi [India], August 2 : Former India captain Sunil Chhetri has made an emotional appeal to the Tata Group to reconsider its decision to shut down Jamshedpur FC's first-team operations, describing the development as "a punch to the gut" and warning that Indian football cannot afford to lose one of its strongest institutional supporters.
Reacting to the club's decision in a post on X on Sunday, Chhetri reflected on the difficult state of Indian football and the importance of long-term stakeholders.
"It takes a lot to be a stakeholder in Indian football. It has been like that for some time now. But when everything around looks like it will crumble, you bank on family to hold on to each other. And more often than not, it is the elders in the house that you turn to for assurance," Chhetri wrote.
Paying tribute to the Tata Group's contribution to the sport through the Tata Football Academy and later Jamshedpur FC, the veteran striker added, "All of you at the TATA Group, through TFA first, and then @JamshedpurFC, have been one of our pillars."
Expressing his disappointment over the club's withdrawal, Chhetri said, "To know that Jamshedpur has folded first team operations is a punch to the gut."
He also highlighted the immediate impact of the decision on players and staff, noting that while many may eventually find new opportunities, Indian football stands to lose much more.
"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. However, not having the TATA group involved in the top tier of Indian football - that would be a disaster with no alternative," he said.
Acknowledging that sporting decisions are often influenced by commercial realities, Chhetri nevertheless appealed to the Tata Group to reconsider.
"I understand that some tough decisions in sport are down to what makes sense in the board room. But I can only request and hope that the think tank at TATA picks their heart over head and reconsiders this call. It might be a poor business decision, but it will be the one Indian football needs the most at this hour," he added.
Jamshedpur FC had announced on Friday that it would withdraw from the Indian Super League (ISL) from the 2026-27 season onwards. The decision was confirmed by Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited (JFSPL), the Tata Steel-owned entity that operates the club.
While confirming its exit from the ISL, JFSPL said it would continue contributing to Indian football through grassroots development and youth programmes, reiterating its commitment to identifying and nurturing young talent across the country.
Founded ahead of the 2017-18 ISL season, Jamshedpur FC spent nine seasons in India's top-flight league. The club's greatest achievement came in the 2021-22 campaign when it won the ISL League Shield under head coach Owen Coyle. It also reached the playoffs in the 2024-25 season under Khalid Jamil.
The club is currently competing in the ongoing Durand Cup, although it remains uncertain whether it will complete the tournament following the announcement of its withdrawal from the ISL.