Khalid Jamil Appointed Head Coach of Indian Men’s National Team

Image Credit: AIFF

In a significant development for Indian football, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has appointed Khalid Jamil as the new head coach of the Indian Senior Men’s National Team. The decision was taken during the AIFF Executive Committee's virtual meeting on Friday, August 1, based on the recommendation of the Technical Committee.

The meeting, chaired by AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, saw key participation from Vice President NA Haris, Treasurer Kipa Ajay, and members of both the Executive and Technical Committees. Renowned Indian football figures — Dronacharya Awardees Bimal Ghosh and Armando Colaco, and Dhyan Chand Awardee Shabbir Ali — also contributed to the discussion.

A comprehensive SWOT analysis was presented by AIFF Technical Director Syed Sabir Pasha and National Teams Director Subrata Paul, evaluating the three shortlisted candidates — Khalid Jamil, Stephen Constantine, and Štefan Tarkovič.

The debate around choosing between a foreign or Indian head coach took centre stage. Colaco and Shabbir Ali made a strong case for giving Indian coaches a fair chance, citing their own experiences of starting without national team exposure. Their belief was echoed by Technical Committee chairperson IM Vijayan, who highlighted that India’s best FIFA rankings came under Indian coaches like Sukhwinder Singh and Syed Nayeemuddin. Vijayan strongly backed Jamil, referencing his consecutive AIFF Coach of the Year awards (2023–24 and 2024–25).

Eventually, the majority of the Executive Committee, including members like Pinky Bompal Magar, Thongam Tababi Devi, Climax Lawrence, and others, voted in favour of Jamil’s appointment. While Stephen Constantine’s name did garner support from a few members, the consensus leaned towards Jamil, especially with upcoming challenges like the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 and AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers against Singapore on the horizon.

The decision underscores a renewed push to back homegrown talent in Indian football — and for Khalid Jamil, it’s a historic opportunity to lead the Blue Tigers onto Asia’s biggest stages.