AIFF to Announce New Indian Men's Football Team Coach Soon

AIFF acting secretary general M Satanarayan revealed that the new coach for the Indian men's football team will be announced within a week. Former coach Igor Stimac was dismissed following India's poor performance in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. The technical committee will finalize the selection in two days.

All India Football Federation (AIFF) acting secretary general M Satanarayan announced on Friday that the new coach for the Indian national men's football team will be named shortly. The AIFF's technical committee is scheduled to meet in two days to discuss the matter. The search for a new coach comes after former Croatian footballer Igor Stimac was dismissed in June due to the team's subpar performance in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign. Senior AIFF officials decided to terminate Stimac's tenure during a virtual meeting.

Detailing the process for appointing the new coach, Satanarayan stated, “The announcement will be made within a week. We have received numerous applications and have shortlisted around 20-25 candidates. Availability and suitability will be key factors. The committee will decide on the kind of coach they want in the upcoming meeting.” He also emphasized the positive impact of the Indian Super League (ISL), which he described as an excellent platform for Indian football.

Satanarayan added, “Many renowned coaches are showing interest here. The players have performed commendably.” India's 2026 World Cup qualification hopes diminished after a controversial 2-1 loss to Qatar in Doha, where India led until the 72nd minute before conceding two goals. As a result, India finished third in Group A with five points from six games, behind Qatar (16 points) and Kuwait (7 points). Despite Stimac’s achievements, including two SAFF Championship titles and additional tournament victories, his tenure ended on a disappointing note.