FIFA has once again warned the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for delaying the adoption of its new constitution. Moreover, the global body reminded AIFF and its president Kalyan Chaubey that the federation must act independently and without government interference.

Past Suspension Adds Pressure

In fact, this warning echoes 2022 when FIFA suspended AIFF. At that time, the Supreme Court had removed former president Praful Patel and appointed a Committee of Administrators (CoA). Consequently, Indian football lost credibility on the global stage.

Now, with the Indian Super League crisis ongoing and the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers approaching, the federation faces fresh uncertainty.

FIFA and AFC Set Deadline

Furthermore, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) issued a joint letter to AIFF, according to the Times of India. FIFA’s Elkhan Mammadov and AFC’s Vahid Kardany signed the communication.

The letter set a deadline of 30 October for AIFF to secure the Supreme Court’s verdict on the revised constitution. In addition, the federation must ratify it in the next general body meeting.

The letter warned,“Failure to meet this schedule will leave us with no alternative but to refer the matter to the relevant FIFA decision-making body for consideration and decision.”

Risk of Suspension Looms

As a result, FIFA and AFC made it clear that missing the deadline could trigger sanctions, including suspension. They further stressed, “AIFF must regard this communication as binding and requiring immediate compliance in order to safeguard its rights as a member of FIFA and AFC.”

Consequences of a Ban

If FIFA suspends AIFF, India will lose its membership rights. Consequently, the national team will be barred from the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers and other FIFA tournaments.

Supreme Court Holds Key

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has been hearing the AIFF constitution case since 2017. On 22 August, the court said the judgment is ready. However, it chose to delay the ruling because the new constitution must align with the National Sports Governance Bill 2025.