AIFF Executive Committee proposes India U20 team's participation in I-League

AIFF also decided to host future national camps in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Executive Committee of the All India Football Federation(AIFF) in its meeting at Hyderabad Monday, September 10, 2024, discussed and proposed to have India Under 20 men’s national team participate in I-League competition.

With an eye on AFC Asian Cup 2026 and Asian Games 2026 participation, the AIFF is preparing well in advance having recently assembled an Under 20 squad and will continue to scout talents on an on-going basis. The proposal is mooted with an idea to have India U20 play in the I-League to ensure gaining competitive game time and to maintain match fitness throughout the year, as the I-League endures a long season. The India U20 national team will get amnesty from promotion-relegation.

Additionally, the Indian national team is set to get a permanent address for high-altitude training camps, as required. The ExCo members welcomed and accepted the proposal from Arunachal Pradesh Football Association to offer facilities at the newly launched stadium at Tawang, for India’s national team training camp. Members felt that Tawang, situated at 10,000 feet from sea level, will be an ideal location for future high-altitude camps to acclimatize the squad according to the international competitions.

In another development, at the Annual General Body meeting of AIFF, which was held following the ExCo meeting here today, the members discussed the renewal, termination, and eventual settlement of claims under the federation’s contract with former Head Coach Igor Stimac.

Noting that the former Head Coach had filed a claim of $920,000 before the FIFA Football Tribunal before eventually entering into a full and final settlement with the AIFF, the members called for an independent inquiry into the internal procedures that had been followed and the personnel that were involved when the Head Coach’s contract had been renewed in 2023 on unapproved and unfavorable terms, which eventually left the AIFF in a compromised negotiating position leading to significant financial detriment to the federation in the settlement of the claim.

Members also expressed their apprehension as to how a former employee, who no longer holds any positions in Indian football, continues to represent AIFF in various committees of the South Asian Football Federation and Asian Football Confederation and requested the AIFF ExCo to write to these bodies and action be taken to curtail such practices.

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