Indian Football Faces Fresh FIFA Threat as ISL Future Hangs in Balance

India faces the prospect of being barred from international 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 risk suspension, Sport360NG reports.

In a joint letter to All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey, the two governing bodies voiced “serious concern” over the prolonged delay in finalising and ratifying the AIFF constitution.

“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 letter stated. “The AIFF must treat this correspondence as binding and act immediately to safeguard its rights as a member of FIFA and the AFC.”

The revised constitution has been pending before India’s Supreme Court since 2017. Should FIFA move ahead with suspension, Indian national teams and clubs would be excluded from all international competitions.

FIFA had previously suspended India in August 2022 over third-party interference, after the Supreme Court appointed a committee to manage the federation. That ban was lifted within days, allowing elections that brought Chaubey into office.

Meanwhile, domestic football is also under strain. The future of the Indian Super League (ISL) remains uncertain amid an ongoing standoff between the AIFF and its commercial partner, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). The current rights agreement between both parties expires on December 8, with no renewal in place.

This season’s ISL has already been delayed, putting the livelihoods of thousands of players and staff at risk. Without a clear revival plan, the league, typically held from September to April, faces the threat of collapse.

Global players’ union FIFPRO, through its Asia/Oceania division, has already flagged the situation to FIFA, adding further pressure on the AIFF to act swiftly.