AIFF President Charts Ambitious Course for Indian Football’s Future

Indian football fans and stakeholders have reason to be hopeful for the future, following a riveting interview with Kalyan Chaubey, the President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The exchange with renowned journalist Marcus Mergulhao revealed an ambitious roadmap for the sport, ranging from recent victories to the prospective adoption of advanced technology.

The AIFF President’s vision for Indian football is as grand as it is challenging. Following the country’s third unbeaten championship title in the 2023 SAFF Championship, there are high expectations for Indian football’s future. Central to Chaubey’s strategy is an urgent focus on improving India’s FIFA ranking. A higher rank could open doors to more challenging matches, which Chaubey sees as key to the national team’s growth.

Chaubey’s plan involves scheduling an intensive roster of 20-22 matches for the national team, leading up to the AFC Asian Cup. This is part of his broader vision to enhance India’s prowess by playing against robust competition, viewing it as a valuable learning experience. The idea is that systematic training and exposure to highly competitive matches will lead to consistent improvement.

Additionally, the AIFF President underscored the need for strong ties with international football federations. His intention to look beyond the SAFF region is evident, as he expressed an interest in expanding connections with the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA), Middle East, and Gulf football bodies.

Beyond this, the conversation touched upon the potential implementation of VAR lite technology in Indian football, reflecting Chaubey’s keenness to leverage modern technological advancements to improve the sport’s integrity and fairness.

Chaubey’s strategic vision and commitment signal a promising future for Indian football. While the road to improving India’s FIFA ranking and competitiveness may be steep, the proactive and ambitious direction charted by the AIFF under Chaubey’s leadership is a source of optimism.