FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have demanded that India implement a new constitution by October 30 or risk being suspended from world football for the second time in three years.
FIFA and AFC’s Joint Warning
In a joint letter to All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey, football’s global governing body FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) expressed “profound concern” over the continued failure to finalize and adopt the constitution. The letter, seen by AFP, stated that “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.” It added that the “AIFF must regard this communication as binding and requiring immediate compliance in order to safeguard its rights as a member of FIFA and the AFC.”
Current Situation and Background
The AIFF constitution has been awaiting a decision in India’s Supreme Court since 2017. A suspension would mean that Indian national teams and clubs would be barred from all international competitions.
Previously, FIFA suspended India in August 2022 due to “third-party influence” after the Supreme Court appointed a committee of administrators to run the AIFF. The ban was lifted a few days later, paving the way for the AIFF to elect Chaubey.
Currently, India’s top-flight club football is in disarray. The Indian Super League (ISL) could potentially fold due to a dispute between the AIFF and its commercial partner. The ISL’s season kickoff has been delayed, putting thousands of players and staff at risk of losing their jobs.
A rights agreement between the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited, the company that runs the ISL, expires on December 8 and has yet to be renewed. The AIFF has been unable to come up with a revival plan for the ISL, which is typically played from September to April. The players’ union, FIFPRO Asia/Oceania, raised the issue with FIFA last week.
