India faces world football ban for second time in three years

India is at risk of being banned from world football again as FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have warned the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to adopt a new constitution by October 30 or face suspension.

In a joint letter to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, the global and regional football bodies expressed “profound concern” over the federation’s failure to finalise and implement its long-pending constitution, which has been awaiting a Supreme Court decision since 2017.

The letter stressed that failure to meet the deadline would force FIFA to refer the matter to its decision-making body, potentially resulting in India being barred from international competitions. A similar ban was imposed in August 2022 due to third-party interference but was lifted shortly after AIFF elections were held.

The warning comes at a time when Indian football is already under pressure. The Indian Super League (ISL) season has been delayed amid a dispute between AIFF and its commercial partner, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). Their rights agreement expires on December 8 and has not been renewed, putting the league — and thousands of players and staff — at risk.

Players’ union FIFPRO Asia/Oceania has raised concerns with FIFA over the uncertainty, adding to the growing crisis facing Indian football.