Explained: Why state football associations want no-confidence motion against AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey

Kalyan Chaubey, the president of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), finds himself in trouble as more than 20 state associations reportedly plan to file a no-confidence motion against him. According to a report in the Hindustan Times, the state associations also have the backing of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The report adds that the associations intend to invoke Article 23(4) of the AIFF, which calls for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM). The meeting should be announced within 60 days should one-third of the 36 member associations request for the same.

“The Executive Committee shall convene a Special General Body Meeting if one-third of the Member Associations make such a request in writing. The request shall specify the items for the agenda. A Special General Body Meeting shall be held within 60 (sixty) days of receipt of the request," states the article.

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According to the procedure, FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) observers will also take part in the meeting, a former state association president told Hindustan Times. One-third of the 36 associations means that at least 12 state associations should support the matter. “I am confident we will get double that," the state association president said.

AIFF’s tough times under Kalyan Chaubey 

Amid the ongoing crisis in AIFF, discussions on an alternative presidential candidate have not taken place yet. Ever since Chaubey, a former goalkeeper, took over as AIFF president in 2022, the board has been hit by several controversies. Chaubey had beaten legendary Indian footballer Baichung Bhutia for the post.

Under his presidency, the India senior men’s team failed to qualify for the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers and sacked Igor Stimac as head coach .

Stimac had a contract with the Blue Tigers till June 2026 and as a result, the AIFF had to pay him $400,00 (Approximately Rs 3.36 crore) as compensation for ending his contract prematurely. In 2023, Shaji Prabhakaran was sacked as AIFF Secretary General due to a “breach of trust”.

“I have nothing against him (Chaubey) personally and I was happy that a former footballer had got the most important job in AIFF," a state association president from Western India told Hindustan Times.

“But since he took over, there has been only bad news emerging out of AIFF. Especially, after Shaji left. We are planning to meet in a fortnight and place our demand to AIFF,” the state association president added. In December 2024, Prabhakaran wrote a letter to AIFF, AFC and FIFA ethics committees where he complained against Chaubey regarding “potential violations of the AIFF ethics code and relevant governing regulations.”

“People without domain knowledge are sitting in interview panels for coaching positions. I have heard a director of football is being appointed. I am not sure why one is needed when the deputy secretary-general has been given charge of national teams," a state association president who is from eastern India told the newspaper.

It’s not just the senior men’s football team who have underperformed.

The senior India women’s team suffered losses to Bangladesh and Nepal in the 2024 SAFF Championship. On Friday, Syria defeated India 6-1 in an under-20 tournament. India fielded nine under-17 players as the clubs decided against releasing under-20 players as the tournament is not a part of FIFA window.