India is facing the prospect of being banned from world football for the second time in three years after FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) warned that the country must adopt a new football constitution by October 30 or face suspension.
In a joint letter addressed to All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey, FIFA and the AFC expressed “profound concern” over the body’s continued failure to finalise and implement the long-pending constitution.
The letter, seen by AFP, stated that if the deadline is missed, FIFA’s decision-making body will be forced to take action, which could include suspension. “Failure to meet this schedule will leave us with no alternative but to refer the matter to the relevant FIFA decision-making body for consideration and decision,” the communication read.
The joint warning further stressed that the AIFF must treat the directive as binding, noting that “immediate compliance” is required to safeguard India’s rights and privileges as a member of FIFA and the AFC. The long-delayed AIFF constitution, pending before India’s Supreme Court since 2017, remains unresolved, leaving Indian football vulnerable to another FIFA suspension. A ban would prevent the national teams and clubs from participating in any international competitions.
India has already faced such action once before. In August 2022, FIFA suspended the country for “third-party interference” after the Supreme Court appointed a committee of administrators to oversee the AIFF. That ban was lifted within days, allowing elections to be held and Kalyan Chaubey to take charge as AIFF president.
Meanwhile, India’s domestic football faces its own crisis. The Indian Super League (ISL), the nation’s top-flight competition, has been thrown into turmoil due to a dispute between the AIFF and its commercial partner, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). This season’s kickoff has already been delayed, putting thousands of players and staff at risk of losing their jobs.
The situation is further complicated by the looming expiration of the rights agreement between AIFF and FSDL on December 8, which has yet to be renewed. Without a settlement, the future of the ISL and professional football in India remains uncertain.
Leave a comment