Igor Stimac's Future in Limbo After India's World Cup Heartbreak

Under-pressure India football coach Igor Stimac expressed uncertainty about his future after India's controversial 1-2 defeat to Qatar ended their 2026 World Cup qualification hopes. Stimac, whose contract extension depends on reaching the third round, needs more time to decide his next steps.

Under-pressure India football coach Igor Stimac expressed uncertainty about his future following India's controversial exit from the 2026 World Cup qualification race after a 1-2 loss to Asian champions Qatar.

Qatar's equalizing goal, which came from a ball that had clearly gone out of play, and subsequent winning goal, sent India out of contention for the third round of World Cup qualification.

On Tuesday, a crestfallen Stimac, who had earlier promised to step down if he failed to take India into the third round, said he would need a few more days to determine his next move. "That's something we need to discuss internally in the next few weeks where our futures stand. There is nothing I can tell you now," said the 56-year-old, who took charge in 2019.

Despite the setback, Stimac highlighted the potential of Indian football, pointing out that the Indian team is not much older than Qatar's reserve team. Stimac's contract, extended last October, keeps him in charge until June 2026, with a possibility for automatic renewal till 2028 if the team had reached the third round.

India's campaign included a disappointing home loss to lower-ranked Afghanistan. Stimac argued that India's competitiveness could improve if Indian-origin players in European leagues were allowed to join the national team, emphasizing the need for a more competitive domestic league.