India is at risk of being banned from world football for the second time in just three years, as global football body – FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation – AFC have jointly demanded that the All India Football Federation – AIFF adopt a new constitution by October 30 or face suspension.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, FIFA and the AFC expressed profound concern over the continued delay in finalising the long-pending constitution, which has been stuck in India’s Supreme Court since 2017.
The global and regional football bodies also warned the AIFF that the message should be taken as binding and one that requires immediate compliance in order to maintain its standing as a FIFA and AFC member.
India was previously suspended by FIFA in August 2022 due to third-party interference after the country’s Supreme Court appointed a committee of administrators to oversee AIFF affairs. The suspension was lifted shortly after, once the AIFF held elections and Chaubey was elected president.
However, the AIFF now faces renewed pressure to enact reforms or risk another suspension, a move that would ban all Indian national teams and clubs from participating in international competitions.
