 "Indian football team is currently without a head coach. AIFF image")
Indian men’s football team has been on the lookout for a new coach since the departure of Igor Stimac. The Croatian was removed from his post after a five-year tenure as he failed to take the Blue Tigers to the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers. India’s campaign ended with a defeat to Qatar last month in a match in which they led 1-0 before eventually losing 1-2 after the hosts squared a controversial goal .
Stimac had a contract till 2026 and a lack of a terminal clause created a roadblock in his removal but All India Football Federation (AIFF) finally sacked the coach on 17 June and since then has been on the search for a new coach. The deadline for applying for the post of Indian men’s football team head coach ended on 3 July.
As per the information shared by AIFF, a total of 291 applications were received by the federation from all over the world. Out of this, 100 applicants have UEFA Pro License diplomas against their names. While 20 of the applicants hold AFC Pro License diplomas, three have CONMEBOL licenses.
The next step for AIFF is to scrutinise all the applications and shortlist suitable candidates for the job.
When will the new India head coach be appointed?
The AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey has said in an official statement that the India men’s football team will have a new coach by the “end of July”.
“We have received an overwhelming response with some of the marquee names having expressed their interest in India," Chaubey said. “As we get ready to write a new chapter in Indian football, it’s crucial for us to have a coach who is committed to the development of Indian football, to understand our culture and help design the national football philosophy.
“We are hoping to onboard the candidate by end July, to ensure India utilise the September FIFA window participation. As a next step, our committee headed by AIFF Vice President Mr. NA Haris (along with Committee Chairpersons of Technical, League, Competitions, Finance, Development and the Treasurer) will review the applications, before placing the select list to the Executive Committee,” said Chaubey.
India to play in Vietnam
Meanwhile, the AIFF has also announced that the Indian men’s team will play a Tri-Nation Friendly Tournament in Vietnam during the October 2024 FIFA Window involving Vietnam and Lebanon.
No matches have so far been scheduled for August and September FIFA windows for international matches. AIFF has decided against participating in the King’s Cup in Thailand and the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia.