Top five talking points from AIFF press conference on 13 June 2025

Kalyan Chaubey addressed key issues regarding India’s goalscoring problems and the inclusion of OCI players

Indian football is entering a crucial phase of change after a stint of forgettable results over the past two years. In a recent media interaction, the President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Mr. Kalyan Chaubey, addressed major issues that have been repeatedly asked by Indian football fans.

This article breaks down the biggest takeaways from that session, including decisions that could shape the future of Indian football.

Update on Manolo Marquez’s future

In the press-conference, the AIFF President confirmed that the Executive Committee will meet on 29th June to review the Indian national football team’s recent performances under Manolo Marquez. With one win in eight games, the Spaniard’s place is under serious scrutiny.

The Indian football team’s head coach signed a two-year deal when he was selected in July 2024. KhelNow’s sources are fairly certain that Manolo Marquez will no longer continue with the national team and is expected to sign an extension with FC Goa.

India to bid for AFC competitions

India will formally bid to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup. Chaubey also mentioned interest in hosting other tournaments like AFC Beach Soccer and Futsal Championships. This reflects the AIFF’s intent to make India a hub for major continental football events in the next decade.

Giving an example of the nation’s previous experiences of being a successful host, Chaubey said, “India has already shown that we can host high-quality tournaments – the U-17 World Cups, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, the SAFF Championships – all went well. Now we must aim higher.”

AIFF is trying to get OCI players

The AIFF President said that he wants to expand the talent pipeline by including players who are Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), something that the fans have requested for many years. This marks a strategic shift, aligning with global practices where naturalised players have boosted national teams like Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Kalyan Chaubey said, “AIFF is in communication with 33 players in the OCI category. Some have got OCI cards while some are in the process of acquiring them. The federation is aligned with the law of the land, but it is actively involved in securing the approach of, including OCI players.”

Focus on improving Indian strikers

In recent international matches, India has either failed to score or managed goals from set-pieces rather than open play. Indian Super League clubs tend to field foreign strikers as key attacking threats. Indian forwards are either benched or played as wingers throughout the season.

Owing to this, Kalyan Chaubey claimed that the AIFF is seriously considering capping the number of foreign attackers per team, particularly central forwards, to force more game time for Indian strikers.

He also added that “We are trying to get a former World Cup-winning striker to work with our young forwards.” With these changes, the federation hopes that more Indian talent can come out as goalscorers and eventually replace the legendary Sunil Chhetri.

Kalyan Chaubey blasts Bhaichung Bhutia

Kalyan Chaubey criticized former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia, accusing him of failing in his role as an academy head. He also added that when AIFF invited Bhutia to be a part of the technical committee, he refused and didn’t come.

The AIFF President cited a 31–0 loss suffered by Bhutia Football Schools against Minerva Academy in the AIFF Youth League and claimed the former Indian international hasn’t been actively involved in youth development despite being on paper as an advisor.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.