The All India Football Federation (AIFF) fronted up on Friday, June 13, 2025, as president Kalyan Chaubey faced the media during a turbulent phase for Indian football. With the national team sliding to 133rd in the latest FIFA rankings and reeling from successive losses, the press conference came not a moment too soon.
Chaubey addressed the criticism head-on, admitting that results have been below expectations and insisting that the federation is working on course correction. The tone was firm but cautious, as questions continue to swirl over the direction and leadership of Indian football.
India’s 1–0 defeat to lower-ranked Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers has triggered widespread criticism. A stoppage-time penalty by Stefan Pereira sealed the loss, leaving India’s qualification hopes in serious doubt.
Coming right after a poor result against Thailand, the defeat has reignited concerns over the national team’s direction and the broader state of Indian football.
AIFF Press Conference: Key Takeaways From Kalyan Chaubey’s Address
AIFF president Chaubey, treasurer Kipa Ajay, head of competitions Akshay Rohatgi, secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran, and director of football Subrata Paul held a press conference on Friday, June 13, to address key issues facing Indian football.
The press conference began with Chaubey addressing the uncertainty around head coach Manolo Marquez’s future.
“Manolo is a respected coach who understands Indian football well. But we’ve received several queries about his continuation. A decision will be made at the executive committee meeting on June 29,” Chaubey said, adding, “We’ve suffered losses, but expecting wins without scoring is unrealistic.”
Chaubey also highlighted India’s long-standing striker crisis, calling it the biggest issue in the national setup. “Our main concern is the lack of goals and shortage of Indian strikers. Everyone in Indian football recognises this. One possible step could be limiting foreign players to create more opportunities for local forwards,” he said.
To address the issue, Chaubey revealed plans to bring in a World Cup-winning striker to mentor young talent. “We’re trying to get a World Cup-winning forward to work with us. The idea is to identify 4–5 promising strikers from the U-23 setup and have them train under him, focus on shooting, finishing, and building a natural goal-scoring instinct,” he said.
AIFF President confirmed that India will officially bid to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup, this time with strong backing from the central government. After missing out on the 2027 edition, he expressed confidence in convincing the AFC. He also revealed that India is looking to bid for other competitions, including AFC Beach Soccer and Futsal Championships.
He added that hosting major international tournaments would also require improved infrastructure. “Most of our stadiums follow outdated models with athletic tracks that distance fans from the action. We've requested state governments to build new, football-specific stadiums so that spectators can enjoy matches up close,” he said.
He further outlined the federation’s long-term grassroots vision, pointing to the success of the AIFF-FIFA Academy, which trained just 30 boys but still delivered results. “Now we plan to set up five more academies, taking the number to 150 boys who will form the core of our U17, U20, U23 teams. It’s tough to fix things at the top, so we’re starting from the base,” he said.
Chaubey emphasized that these aren’t empty promises but part of a 10-year plan. “While the country is bidding for the 2036 Olympics, we’re also aiming for the 2031 Asian Cup. Blame is easy, it reveals more about one’s character than anything else.”
Chaubey also addressed the growing demand to include Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) in the national team setup. He said the AIFF is in touch with 33 eligible players, some of whom have already received their OCI cards, while efforts are ongoing to assist the others.
The federation has initiated discussions with various government departments to allow OCI players to represent India. “The initial response has been positive, but the process will take time. We’re doing everything within our capacity to make this happen,” he said.
Kalyan Chaubey Responds To Bhaichung Bhutia’s Allegations
Chaubey launched a strong rebuttal against Bhaichung Bhutia and others behind the recent petition challenging the AIFF. “There are 3–4 people behind this, either former federation members or those who lost elections to my team. Allegations have been made against me and my family, but I prefer to respond with facts and numbers,” he said.
Addressing Bhutia directly, Chaubey acknowledged his stature as a former player but questioned his recent actions. “He is a respected former striker and was an AIFF advisor with a ₹1.5 lakh salary, with all expenses covered. As a member of the Executive Committee, he attended 11 meetings, where was this concern about corruption then? The meeting minutes are publicly available.”
He further accused Bhutia of misleading young players and their families. “He’s using his name to make families believe joining his academy guarantees success. But Bhutia Academy lost 31–0 to Minerva Academy in March. This is about playing with the dreams of children.”
Chaubey also alleged that Bhutia takes crores as an advisor to various academies without actively contributing. “He rarely visits these academies, and their performances have been poor in competitions,” he said.
