By Huldah Shado
India risks a fresh ban from international football if it fails to adopt a new constitution by October 30, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), have warned.
In a joint letter to All India Football Federation (AIFF), President Kalyan Chaubey, the global and continental governing bodies expressed “deep concern” over the prolonged delay, urging immediate compliance to safeguard India’s membership rights.
The AIFF constitution has been stalled in the country’s Supreme Court since 2017, raising governance and compliance concerns. FIFA stressed that missing the deadline would force it to escalate the issue to its decision-making body, with potential disciplinary action, including suspension.
A suspension would be a major setback, sidelining India’s national teams and clubs from all international competitions.
The warning comes as the Indian Super League (ISL), grapples with disputes between the AIFF and its commercial partner, threatening the stability of the country’s top-flight football.
India previously faced suspension in August 2022 over third-party interference, with the ban lifted only after new leadership was elected at the AIFF.
