Indian Football Faces Suspension Threat Over Constitutional Deadlock

Ray Sportz Web Desk: In a major setback for Indian football, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have expressed “profound concern” over the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) prolonged failure to implement its revised constitution, pending since a 2017 Supreme Court case.
In a strongly worded letter to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, the two governing bodies highlighted that the continued impasse has created a governance and operational crisis. Domestic competition schedules remain uncertain, commercial partnerships beyond December 2025 are unconfirmed, and players’ contracts face unilateral termination by clubs, particularly in the Indian Super League (ISL). “The players’ livelihoods and careers are at risk,” the letter noted.
FIFA and AFC have set a firm deadline of October 30, 2025 for AIFF to:
Secure Supreme Court approval of the revised AIFF Constitution.
Align the AIFF statutes fully with FIFA and AFC regulations.
Obtain formal ratification at the next AIFF General Meeting.
Failure to comply, the letter warned, would leave FIFA and AFC with no choice but to refer the matter to their decision-making bodies, which could lead to India’s suspension from international football. Such a move would strip AIFF of all membership rights and bar Indian teams and clubs from participating in global and continental competitions.
The letter has also been directed to be placed before the Supreme Court of India and communicated to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. FIFA and AFC stressed that immediate compliance is “imperative to safeguard India’s rights as a member.”