AIFF constitutes five-member committee to hold talks with India coach Igor Stimac after Afghanistan loss

The All India Football Committee is set to hold discussions with senior India men’s head coach Igor Stimac, with President Kalyan Chaubey forming a five-member committee for the same, following the team’s 1-2 defeat against Afghanistan in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.

According to a release from the AIFF, Chaubey held a virtual meeting with senior Federation members to discuss recommendations made by the Technical Committee following India's disappointing show against the Afghans in Round 2 of the Joint Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

The Federation also took note of comments made by the Croation about his future with the Indian team at the end of Round 2 of the Joint Qualifiers. In a bold statement ahead of India’s showdown against Afghanistan in Guwahati’s Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Stimac had stated that he would step down from the role if he failed to guide the Blue Tigers into the third round of the qualifiers.

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“The AIFF President, after listening to all the members’ recommendations and suggestions, has constituted a five-member committee, comprising of Mr. N.A. Haris, Vice President, AIFF, Mr. Menla Ethenpa, Member, Executive Committee and Chairperson, Finance Committee, Mr. Anilkumar Prabhakaran, Member, Executive Committee and Chairperson, Competitions Committee, Mr. I/M. Vijayan, Member, Executive Committee and Chairperson, Technical Committee, and Mr. Climax Lawrence, Member, Executive Committee and Technical Committee.

“The newly-formed committee has been requested by the AIFF President to hold discussions with the India head coach and seek further clarification on the matter,” read a statement from the AIFF.

The India-Afghanistan clash saw veteran striker and captain Sunil Chhetri make his 150th appearance in the blue jersey, and was felicitated by the AIFF ahead of kickoff for his milestone appearance. He would later successfully score from the spot after India were awarded a penalty shortly after the half-hour mark to score his 94th goal — and ensure he’s scored in every milestone appearance in his international career.

Despite heading into the half-time interval with a one-goal cushion, India would end up on the losing side by conceding two goals in the last 20 minutes of the contest.