August 28 – FIFA have warned India that it risks suspension from world football unless it implements a new constitution.
World football’s governing body set a deadline of October 30 for the Indian FA (AIFF) to obtain a clear order from the Supreme Court approving its constitution, ensuring that the foundational document is fully aligned with FIFA statutes and regulations.
It comes after the Indian Super League (ISL) was put on hold after talks between the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) broke down.
In a letter to the Indian FA, FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer Elkhan Mammadov, wrote: “This prolonged impasse has precipitated a governance and operational crisis. Clubs and players remain uncertain regarding the domestic competition calendar; commercial partnerships beyond December 2025 remain unconfirmed; and essential functions relating to development, competitions, and marketing are increasingly compromised.
“The resulting lack of financial stability has had a profoundly negative impact on India’s football ecosystem, particularly affecting footballers employed by clubs participating in the Indian Super League (ISL), which is organised under the auspices of the AIFF.”
FIFA also reminded the AIFF and its president Kalyan Chaubey that they are obligated to manage their affairs independently and without interference from any third-party or government body.
The letter continued: “Failure to adhere to this obligation may result in sanctions outlined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes, including the possibility of suspension. Furthermore, a member association may face consequences for third-party influence, even if it is not directly at fault (cf. article 14 paragraph 3 of the FIFA Statutes and article 10 paragraph 1 (t) and 2 of the AFC Statutes). A suspension of the AIFF would result in the loss of all of its rights as a FIFA and AFC member, as defined in the FIFA and AFC Statutes.”
On Thursday, the ISL and FDSL will appear in court, but FIFA has suspended India before. In 2022, Zurich sidelined the Indian FA for ‘third-party interference’ after a Committee of Administrators (CoA) was appointed to run the federation due to delayed elections. The global governing body stepped in and the CoA was quickly dissolved, enabling India to retain hosting rights for that year’s U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Contact the writer of this story Samindra Kunti at [email protected]