The International Football Association (FIFA) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have written to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), threatening a potential suspension if its constitution is not formally ratified by October 30.
“Despite repeated assurances, the absence of a clear and compliant governance framework has now created an untenable vacuum and legal uncertainties at the heart of Indian football,” Elkhan Mammadov, FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer, and Vahid Kardany, AFC’s Deputy General Secretary – Member Associations, wrote in a letter dated August 26, a copy of which Sportstar has.
Can the AIFF be banned?
Mammadov and Kardany, in their letter, have listed three points to which the AIFF needs to adhere by October 30, maintaining no this-party influence:
- Secure a definitive order from the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India approving the revised AIFF Constitution.
- Ensure full alignment of the AIFF Constitution with the mandatory provisions of the FIFA and AFC Statutes and regulations
- Obtain formal ratification of the AIFF Constitution at the next AIFF General Meeting.
If the requirements listed by FIFA and AFC are not met, the AIFF may be sanctioned, including the ‘possibility of suspension’.
“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,” the letter read.
On the field, a ban would compromise India’s aspirations for the AFC Asian Cup 2027, with its third-round qualifiers against Bangladesh and Hong Kong, scheduled in November 2025 and March 2026, respectively.
AIFF Constitution timeline explained
The drafting of the AIFF constitution has been in progress since 2017, with the final draft submitted in July 2022 to the Supreme Court of India.
The Court then entrusted retired judge L. Nageswara Rao with finalising the constitution in May 2023, and a verdict on the document is still pending.
The ‘prolonged impasse’ has had further consequences, where Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and AIFF have failed to agree on a future Master Rights Agreement — the current deal running out on December 8, 2025 — jeopardising the men’s top-flight in the country, the Indian Super League (ISL).
“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 letter read.
The 2025-26 season of the ISL was officially put on hold on July 11, and several clubs, such as Bengaluru FC and Chennaiyin FC, have suspended operations temporarily.
“We have received concerning reports from FIFPRO of the unilateral termination of players’ employment contracts by various clubs, as a direct consequence of the current impasse, affecting the players’ livelihoods and careers,” the letter read.
“Furthermore, the enactment of India’s new National Sports Governance Act places an additional and immediate obligation on the AIFF to align its Constitution with both national legislation and the mandatory requirements of FIFA and the AFC.”
The Supreme Court heard the case on August 22 and directed FSDL and AIFF to discuss the future of the league until the next hearing on August 28.
ALSO READ | AIFF and FSDL hold “constructive” talks ahead of SC hearing
Consequently, both bodies met in Bengaluru this week and have had constructive talks, with the next season likely to begin in late October or early November. Any discussions about the season after that are believed to begin after the final decision on the constitution.
Has India been banned before?
Yes, the AIFF was banned in 2022 due to third-party influence when the Supreme Court appointed a Committee of Administrators (CoA) to run the federation, stripping Praful Patel as president.
The ban put India’s hosting of the 2022 U-17 Women’s World Cup in danger, but the suspension was lifted after Kalyan Chaubey was elected president in fresh elections within two weeks of the FIFA sanction.
The next hearing on the AIFF constitution case is tomorrow (August 28).
Published on Aug 27, 2025
